Run
by Karla3
Summary: -Complete-The newly formed Council was thought to be there for leadership...but is there more to it? Can Rinoa's strange dreams unlock the mystery? Alone and running Rinoa and Squall must find their way before its too late...
1. Too Fast

Run chapter 1 

Too Fast

I don't own anything from final fantasy VIII.

We were running. Running so fast and so hard that it was hard for my mind to contemplate. Squall was in front of me, holding onto my hand. He was faster and stronger than me. My chest was tight and pain ripped through me. I needed to stop but we had to keep going. _Just a little further._

Finally I couldn't hold on. I fell to my knees, gasping for air. Taking in painful gulps into my burning lungs. Squall stopped with me, he bent down and whispered to me, " Rin we have to keep going"  I nodded. " I know…but just…a little longer" I gasped. 

"Yeah just a little longer…" I could hear yelling. _I bet their angry…angry at me, at Squall. How will we get away from them?_

The smell of smoke still hung in the air. The memories form just moment ago was replaying in my mind. The car crash. The fire burning up the side of my seat. The smoke choking me and burying me deep into unconsciousness. A hand grabbing me roughly and dragging me away from their, away from the yells and the chilling screams. Feeling my ear drums almost explode from the roar of the car bursting into flames.

These memories flooded me, haunted me. They always will. No matter how hard I try to forget. Squall gripped my hand again and we off again. Running from them. My eyes still burned and my legs wouldn't carry me. I had been burnt along the side of my right leg and now the pain was coming back…coming back too fast. 

" Squall!" I yelled. I fell down, toppling over myself. I heard his footsteps running over to me.

_Goodnight._

"Rinoa stay awake! We'll get there…we will" He lifted me up into his arms, and continued running. He was desperate to get me away.

_Why are you doing this Squall?_

_Why are risking yourself to take me away from them?_

_Is it because you love me? Is it because you care?_

_Just take me away…take me away from them…_

My mind was lost to everything around me and I drifted off into the blank emptiness that was unconsciousness. Taking me away from this place. 

A/N: Yes I re wrote this chapter as well as the second and third chapter. They were too short. So now please review and tell me what you think. 


	2. What's going on?

Run chapter 2 

What's going on?

Quistis P.O.V

Something has gone wrong with the trail. I didn't even know if Rinoa had won or lost. I prayed to Hyne that she had won. But the garden staff were trying frantically to get all students to their dorms. Classes had been cancelled and I was asked to meet Xu at her dorm.

I made my quickly to the dorms. Avoiding any garden staff. The dorms were generally quiet so found it easy to get there. Xu was waiting patiently in her dorm when I got there. 

" Xu what's going on?"

" Well Quistis as far as I know Rinoa was taken in a Council car. Apparently it was attacked and three of the cars that were full of guards was intercepted by a few trucks…I have no idea who though. Rinoa's car was run off the road and crashed…that's all I know"

" But do you think she's ok?" Panic rose in voice.

" I really don't know but I'm sure she is"

I sighed and sat down next to her. I decided to tell the others to meet me at the training center. Maybe they would have some information that we didn't. 

" Ok Xu, I'm going to meet with the gang and let them know ok?"

" Ok see you soon Quistis"

Selphie was at her dorm. I knocked quietly and waited. She opened the door a crack and smiled when she saw me.

" Hey Quisty"

I told her everything Xu and I had talked about. She didn't seem very convinced.

" I don't know Quisty. Don't you think it's a bit odd that someone would intercept the car's with a bunch trucks and run her car off the road?"

" Yeah but maybe they were protesting against the Council or something and didn't realize Rinoa was there. Maybe the trial didn't go so well and they were trying to help her…" 

She sighed and gave in. " Yeah maybe Quisty…I hope she's ok"

" Hey Selphie tell the others to meet me at the in the secret area at the training center ok?"

:"Ok" 

I left her dorm and went back to my own. I would meet them there soon so I grabbed my whip and left. 

Some garden staff were guarding the entrance to the training center. 

" Hey, did some SeeD's go in here earlier?"

" Yes" One replied, " Cid's orders that they check it out for any students"

I nodded.

" I need to assist them. One of my students is in there and I need to make sure their…err…training program isn't messed up…"

"…Very well. Carry on"

I breathed a sigh of relief and walked in. Killing a few minor grats I made it to the secret area. 

A/N: Again I re wrote this chapter too. A bit short still but trust me the story gets heaps better! Please Review!


	3. It's So Messed Up

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from final fantasy 8.

Quistis P.O.V

As I walked into the secret area I hoped the solemn looks on my friends faces were good.

Selphie looked up at me and grin slightly. " Hey Quisty" I smiled back. " I hope you guys have more info then I do" Irvine nodded. " Yeah…kinda" Selphie looked back at me. " What do you know?" " Well I know that Rinoa was taken from the meeting in a transport and then everyone was in panic…that's it" Selphie nodded. " Yup, we know more" She took a big breath. " The decision was that Rinoa was to be taken to Esthar under Odin's supervision-" "-No way! How could they decide that!" I cut in. Selphie put up her hand and continued. " I know Quisty but listen, the set of guards that were supposed to escort her got cut off…we don't know how but the transport ended up travelling alone. When they caught up they found the car crashed on the side of the road and Rinoa was gone. Not many people were hurt fortunately" I sighed in relief. Then a question came into my mind that I knew they were all thinking. " Where's Squall?" Selphie shrugged her expression almost happy. " He's missing too" She said.

We had all gone out of the training center and back to our own dorms. I knew it, I just knew it. Squall had obviously gone and grabbed Rinoa. It was so obvious. I'm sure the Council would see it that way too. Sighing I rolled over in my bed. What's going to happen?

Selphie's P.O.V

Poor Rinnie. Poor Squallie. I mean we were all so happy then that stupid Council began poking around. Hardly anyone had wanted it to be formed. The Council was basically a big group made up of all the Garden's and the worlds leaders. It was thought that people needed more guidance. Yeah right. Just recently Rinoa had been thought about. I mean she is a sorceress after all. But she's not evil! She helped save the world with us! Bu they don't care, there was never a good sorceress. Except Edea but she isn't a sorceress anymore. This soooo not fair. 

A new thought entered my mind. SeeD was formed to fight the sorceress…Rinoa. I f Squall becomes her knight and…would we have to fight them? How do I know what side I 'm on? SeeD is only tryin to do what's right…aren't they? I just don't know anymore.

I hope they're ok. Please be ok. Stay away from the Council! They're just meanies anyway! Maybe my telepathic messages would reach them…nah.

Goodnight.

Authors P.O.V

Headmaster Cid stood quietly in his office. Xu stood next to him. " Sir.." No answer. "Sir…um…Sir we really need to inform the rest of the garden about the recent events"

No answer. Xu was getting nervous. **What's wrong with him**. " Sir! Please answer me!" Cid sighed. " Yes I know Xu, I'm trying to figure this mess out too, but what do we say to them? Sorceress Rinoa is missing and so is the Commander? It's just a little more difficult then that" Xu nodded. " Yes I know Sir"

Authors note: Phew the end of another chapter. Once again I will really really try to make the chapters longer and begin to get into the story a little more ok?

I'd like to thank J.Johnson/ Selphie Clone you were my first reviewer!! Thank you so much! I will keep going.

For the next chapter I need some ideas. So all suggestions welcome, I'll consider all of them!


	4. Just A Dream, Right?

Disclaimer: Sigh… I do not own anything from final fantasy 8. Raylin belongs to me though!

Rinoa's P.O.V

The fog was so thick I almost choked on it. It was, I guess an advantage for us really. We had run into a forest just off the coast of the Demonilite plains, near Deling. 

In the distance I could faintly see the outlines of Galbadia Garden. Loud voices could be heard in about 10 meters or so away. Squall was kneeling beside me. There were a few small shrubs and skinny trees in front of us. We weren't in the forest, just on the outside looking out. 

A black Horse came trotting up only 3 meters away. I hadn't seen a horse in years. They weren't used much anymore because they're so slow. A man clad in Gold and Black came walking up beside it. The horse pricked its ears up and slowing made it's way toward us. The man fiercely grabbed a hold of it, yanking it back. " Stupid animal! I just fed you!" He began to lead the horse away. I breathed a sigh of relief. " Close"

Squall nodded and smiled slightly. I looked over to him. A puzzled look on my face. 

" Who was that?" I asked. " Council guard, pretty pathetic really" He answered. Again I looked puzzled. " Why would they use horse's? Chicobo's are slower!" He grinned. " I don't know really, but what I want to know is why he didn't look in here. He could have easily found us, had he not been so scared." Scared? Why? " Why was he scared?" " Because this forest, they say, is cursed. Those guards are so stupid they won't go anywhere near it." He grinned again. " Oh" I said blankly. 

I yawned and leaned up against him. " Sleep" He said, " you need the rest, they won't be back for a long time" I nodded slowly already letting sleep take over.

****

Dream

I was standing on a moss covered ground. Mist hung in the air. So thick I could hardly see a few meters away. I heard yelling. " Where is she! Find Her!" The Council guards. I ran. Nothing but moss and mist. " Squall!" I screamed. " Squall where are you!" No reply. I continued running. It must have been a clump of dirt or overgrown moss that tripped me up while I ran. My face met the moist ground I sat up reaching for the two rings around my neck. " Squall…" I whispered. My hands met bare skin. Looking down I noticed my necklace was gone. I looked down. It was on the ground. Broken at one end. I reached down to it, and felt nothing. My hands went right through it touching the horrible moss. It was as if it was not even there. I began clawing away the ground furiously. I heard the yelling again, hesitated then got and up and continued running, leaving my transparent necklace behind. 

" Squall!" I was all alone. The sound of running hooves was heard behind me. I stopped coming to a cliff. " No!" I yelled at the top of my lungs until it hurt. I turned to see the sound coming closer. It was a Council guard on a black horse. Gone were the gold and black uniform, replaced by black gold armor. Heavy and thick. The guard himself looked downright scary. The horse he rode was huge and had clinking armor all over its body.

Turning back to the cliff. I took my only option.

I jumped.

As I fell I screamed as hard as my lungs could allow me. Knowing that this was the end.

I hit a clump dirt hard and rolled down hitting rock as I went. I never thought it was possible to roll this fast. It all stopped when I hit a large rock on the bottom. 

I wasn't in pain. It hadn't hurt at all. That was impossible. I shrugged it off and stood up.

Looking up I couldn't see the top of the cliff because of the mist. A hard rocky ground replaced the wet and horrible moss ground. I could see the other wall of the cliff on the side. **Must be in a valley**. Had the mist not have been so thick I probably would have seen the other side up the top. 

As I walked along I saw a black shape on the ground. I ran towards it. 

Squall?

Kneeling down I realized it really was Squall. He had a large slash across his chest. He was clearly dead. ""No...no...no!" Sanding up I refused to believe he was dead. I ran around him, my hands on my ears. Running into the mist I screamed. For no reason I stopped. My eyes were closed and I didn't know why I had stopped. I lowered my hands and looked up. 

A lady stood about 2 meters from. She was tall and had pale skin. Her hair was white and tied up loosely in a twist. Small strands fell in her face. She wore a longs light blue skirt. It hung around her like a sarong. Her top was a blue bikini top. It had silk hanging down from it, covering her exposed belly. On the top were small jewels placed on it decoratively. The most intriguing thing about her was her eyes. They were a deep blue and looked so icy. She smiled at me.

****

What?

" Who…who are you?" She smiled and walked towards me. 

" My name is Raylin," She said still smiling. " I create dreams, I decided to create yours"

I was stunned standing like a gaping fish. My mother had always said that was rude, so I regained my composure. " Um..Pardon…you create dreams?" "Yes, that's right"

I seemed confused. " But why?..And why me?" She laughed. " Because I feel that you need some advice" I was angry now. Advice? This whole 'dream' was to give me advice?! " What do you mean 'advice'? Falling off a cliff and seeing Squall dead, isn't advice" I couldn't hide the frustration in my voice. I was getting angry with someone I had only just met. " Her smile faded slightly. " My advice to you is that panicking will not solve your problems, you need to think more seriously about things" They way her voice sounded so calm made my anger slip away. " But…I still don't understand…are you real?" She smiled brightly again. " Very"

Author's Note: Personally I think this chapter was much better! I hope I explained Rinoa's character ok. A very panicky person. Anyway feel free to review and post any suggestions at all. Buh-bye!


	5. Trust

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from final fantasy 8.

Firstly I'd jus like 2 say that, yes my chapters are very short. I'm improving that in this chapter. I will begin to get into the story more as well. Thank you to all that reviewed, you've made me more willing to continue! Thanx

Run.

Rinoa's P.O.V

Normally when I have a dream I end up forgetting it. But this dream seemed so real. But was Raylin real or was she just another character in my twisted dreams? Nothing seemed so clear anymore.

Squall was asleep, lying just beside me. I had woken from my dream or nightmare a while ago. To scared to sleep again. 

He stirred then got up yawning sleepily. " Where to now?" I asked. " Well we can't stay in this so called cursed forest, they'll find us, so I thought about it before I went to sleep. East from here is the Acult Plains. There's a large forest there, it's full of monsters. If we go there we'll at least be away from the gardens." I sighed. " Sounds ok".

Getting out of the forest was easy.

We had expected to see guards everywhere. But there was none. What was going on?

A few kilometers from the 'cursed forest' we made it to the Acult plains. The forest Squall had mentioned was near some other scattered forests situated around it like a circle. Once inside the forest, I began to wonder about the monsters. 

" You said there was heaps on monsters in here…what about that?"

" Don't tell me your scared of few bite bugs and grats Rin?"

Rolling my eyes I followed him deeper in.

A small lake was in the middle of the forest. Crystal clear with a few bugs jumping in it.

" It's beautiful" My comment had been unheard as Squall was looking in the other direction into the deep trees that surrounded the small lake clearing. " What's wrong?"

" Someone's here…" Squall grabbed something from a tree. He pulled out a man, wearing a long gray trenchcoat with short blonde hair. I recognized him straight away.

" Seifer?" 

Author's P.O.V

Donas walked gracefully into the office. " Sir!" She stiffened raising her hand into a salute. " Yes what is it?" The gruff voice behind the chair asked.

" The Gardens are getting suspicious, they want to know if we have found anything about the sorceress and knight."

" Those Gardens…don't know a thing. Tell them…we found some of the sorceress's hair and are investigating. They'll believe it. Say we have hundreds of guards around the plains surrounding Deling."

" Yes sir, anything else?"

" If they find out about us Donas, we're done, I don't want anymore info leaked out and keep those damned SeeD's out of this!"

"Yes sir! I'll get right on it! You have my word sir!"

"Good"

Dons walked out of the room. Manches puffed his cigar. " Almost time, when we're ready, the Council will be more powerful then ever…in time"

Squall threw Seifer on the ground. " What the hell are you doing here?!"

Seifer stood up and walked towards the lake, standing at the edge of the water. " I wanted to find you"

" Find us? Why?"

" I'm in the same situation as you, remember?, I wanna help you both"

Squall crossed him arms and leant up against a tree. Obviously wanting to stay out of the conversation. I stepped in.

" Why would you want to help us?"

" You need help, simple as that, how do think I've managed to keep so well hidden all this time? I've been staying there, I want to take you there as well"

"There? What do you mean, where do you want to take us?"

" Promise you'll trust me and let me help you, I can't tell you if I don't know you trust me"

" Why should we trust you"

" Because I'm the only one you can trust"

" Ok…but if you dare break your word Seifer…"

" Yeah yeah"

I looked toward Squall. " Is that ok?" He nodded. " Be good Seifer"

Seifer nodded and began to explain. " I'm gonna take you to a place called Crescent Winds. It's in the Herms Ranges near the Trabian territory. No one knows about it except us. It's a village"

" A village? Don't you think people would know about it?"

" No, it's * inside * the largest mountain of the Ranges, Mt. Gray. Only I know how to get in."

" Oh…"

Squall looked toward Seifer then walked up to him. " Well then let's get going "

Quistis P.O.V 

We still hadn't heard anything from the Council about Squall and Rinoa. They weren't keeping us informed about anything and I was beginning to wonder what had happened. But today the Council Leader, Donas, announced they had found some of Rinoa's hair and were investigating. Guards were scattered all over the plains surrounding Deling. 

Balamb Garden had been extended over the 2 years since Ultimecia's defeat. It was 2 years ago that we were all celebrating our triumph. A week from now would mark the anniversary of that day. A new ship bay had been built onto the Garden and the dorms had been extended to allow another 300 more cadets. 3-4 people per dorm. Only SeeD's got single dorms. 

There were now four Gardens. Balamb, Galbadia, Esthar and Trabia. Trabia was still under repairs but it would be up and running in about a year. The gardens were not aloud to take part in the search. The Council had ordered all headmasters to stay away and cease all SeeD missions. The three gardens were now all stationary near Deling. A few miles from here was the Station. That's what we all called it. It was where the Council was. The main area. Just an enormous building housing three ships and a number of helicopters. The Station was where all major meeting were held, including Rinoa's trial. 

The Council had been formed almost a year and a half ago. It as thought the world needed a leader, as did the Gardens. So the Council was formed. So far it had been a great asset. The head of the Council was Donas. 

After a while they began to look into Rinoa's case, because of her being a sorceress. The idea was to send her to Esthar to Odine. There she would be held under her supervision, where he could carry out experiments to help his research. If she were locked away she would be no harm. They gave her a trial. I'm guessing she lost because she's run away.

I'm supposed to help them they look up to me, not as much as they look up to Squall, but they need me to be strong right now. Thing is, I don't know how to do that. 

Rinoa's P.O.V

We looked out beyond the Acult plains. 2 chocobo's were tied to a tree. When we reached them Seifer untied them. 

" I stole them from a chocobo forest" Seifer explained, answering the questions in my head. 

"From here we go across the Acult plains and onto the Herms Ranges. Stay close. Technically the Herms Ranges are Trabian territory cos' of an argument a few years ago, even though Trabia is a long long way away from here. The trip should take us all night, I'd say we'd get there by about midnight, these chocobo's are pretty fast"

I had to ask. " Seifer, where's Raijin and Fujin?" Seifer grinned. " They're in Balamb, I told them to go to Crescent Winds if there's any trouble, so yeah, they know about it to"

Squall jumped onto a chocobo, as Seifer and I take my place behind Squall on his chocobo. As we rode I held onto Squall's shoulders and leaned my head on his back. **So tired**. I wanted to sleep, but I couldn't not knowing what I would dream about. What if I dreamt about Raylin again? It might be worse this time. But I couldn't hold back to need to sleep.

~Dream~

I was sitting on a rock, still in the valley at the bottom of the cliff. The mist still hung in the air. In front of me stood Raylin. Her back was to me. She turned around and smiled, then sat down next to me. " Why are so worried of going to sleep?"

"Because I'm afraid of what might happen, like last time, I didn't actually know you were real…I guess you are. These dreams are real". Raylin nodded. " I'm glad you understand" I shook my head.

" No I don't understand, why me?"

" Because you interest me, the way you think, the way you act. I just felt as if you needed help"

****

Seifer thinks so too

I stood up and faced her. " But how can you help me? Just give me advice? I don't need that kind of help. Your not exactly real…you're just in my dreams" Raylin smiled again. " That's what you think"

" Huh? Your real!? Where are you, let me find you!" Raylin shook her head. " That's not possible Rinoa, I'm glad we could talk, We'll discuss this more later, you need to wake up"

~End~

"Ouch…" I whispered. My head it against Squall's back as the chocobo stopped abruptly. " This it, we go on foot from here." We were at the base of Mt.Gray. I was freezing, the once grassing ground I remembered seeing before I fell asleep was now snow. Small flakes of snow fell from the sky. It was night. " How long was I asleep for?" I asked Squall.

" About 5 or 6 hours" Wow. It was such a short dream. 

Authors Note: Phew! That was much more better. A lot longer. Thanks to everyone that reviewed

Mariko

devildragon

The Angel of the Lion

Please review I really need your input to continue! Cya!!!!


	6. Crescent Winds

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from final fantasy 8

Rinoa's P.O.V

Snow. Ice. That was the scenery from the point of when we left the chocobo's. We were trudging on up Mt. Gray and I was freezing. I had begun to seriously think Seifer was leading us on a wild goose chase. Every now and then I would slip on a piece of ice or get tripped up by snow. Where the hell were we going?

After I had tripped and fallen down on my face, seeing Squall and Seifer look back at me with amused looks, we stopped. Seifer leaned his head against a wall of ice. Putting both his hands either side. I heard him whisper " Crescent Winds". The wall of ice faded, then completely disappeared. An entrance to an icy cave. Seifer nodded and continued inside. Squall was so convinced. He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. I shrugged and followed Seifer in.

There was a small worn path through the enormous cave. The walls were ice and reflective like a mirror. The roof was almost 20 meters above me, the ground thick with snow. I felt so small. Seifer stopped and turned to face us.

"You can't tell anyone about this place" He said, a stern look across his face. 

Squall nodded " Ok"

" Alright, in a while we'll get to an arc, once their we'll only have to go a little further until we get to a narrow passage, that will lead us into Crescent Winds"

We nodded and continued. I thought this journey would go on forever until finally the arc Seifer mentioned appeared. It was huge and ice, of course, and had little icicles hanging down. Making it look, almost, freaky.

Sure enough after we had passed the arc we can to a small, almost crumpled, passage. It was about 1 meter in width and 1 and half in length. I groaned. Seifer crawled in. Squall hesitated then followed him in. 

I hesitated too. I looked back at the enormous ice cave, frozen in place as if frozen in time. Untouched. I sighed and crawled into the little hole. 

It was dark, I could no longer see Squall or Seifer up ahead, but I could here them. I felt along the walls, guiding myself. What had started all this?

The Council.

What made me so scared of being exiled?

The Council

What made me so feared from everyone.

The Council

I silently cursed them and hit my head on a bump in the roof. I blamed the Council for the lump I now felt forming. 

Finally I saw a light at the end. I ran towards and was met by Squall and Seifer standing outside. When I stood up the sight froze me in shock. 

Crescent Winds was amazing. It was still in an enormous ice cave, except the shear size of it threw me. Platforms of ice were placed along the wall of the cave, as if put in place, on top of them stood little houses and buildings. On the ground beneath these was a village center. A long the sides of this were more houses and at the end was an enormous building decked with ceremonious placing. There was no one in sight, no one in the icy village.

A lady walked out from the large building and ran towards us. **Raylin!**

When she came closer I realized that it wasn't Raylin. She wore the same outfit but with no silk. Her skin was pale and her hair white, but it was longer and flowed down past her shoulders. She smiled brightly at Seifer. 

" Welcome back Seifer!"

"Thanks" He replied walking off.

She turned to Squall and I. " Welcome to Crescent Winds! I'm Rayne"

****

Rayne…Raylin, so similar

Squall and I both smiled, yet so weak and tired.

" Oh of course you must rest, come ill show you where to go"

We followed her to a small house near the center. She walked in and as did we. First was a small room with a table, a clock and a cupboard. The next room had two bunkbeds. Each made up. The wall had fire leaping up and down them. As if held there by magic. 

"The fire on the wall makes it less cold to sleep, but its also good if you sleep in these" She handed us some gray clothes. The warmth from the fire was not extreme and didn't keep the cold out. I kept the bitterness of the cold out and kept the cold in. Get it?

It was almost perfect just still too cold. I shivered.

" I'll see you both in the morning"

Rayne walked out leaving us in the room. I was desperate for sleep. Looking at the beds made me feel like falling asleep on the spot. Squall walked over to the bed further from me. I heard Seifer call for me. I walked out and back into the village center.

" Going to sleep"

I nodded.

" Ok well just make sure you meet right here with Squall when you wake up ok?"

" Ok"

" Right, good…er…goodnight"

I nodded and walked back to the house. Squall was already dressed into his gray clothes and in the bed. Looked like he was asleep. I got dressed and laid in the bed opposite. Squall opened his eyes.

" I wanna go home" He whispered.

I looked over to him, looking sympathetic, " So do I"

Quistis P.O.V

We were all curious. All of us wanted to know more. I had told the gang to meet at my dorm after 7:00pm. They had come of course, along with Xu.

" Headmaster Cid isn't telling me anything," She said.

I nodded. " Have you managed to find anything yourself?" She grinned. " Yes"

I seemed shocked. "How?" I spluttered. The conversation was between me and Xu now.

The others seemed as non-informed as I was and stayed silent.

" A student got out of the garden and went across the plains surrounding Deling. He didn't see a single Council guard" Not one? That's impossible. Xu continued. " The Council doesn't have any guards anywhere, their not even looking Quistis" But why?

" Why would the Council do that?" 

" I don't know Quistis, I really don't, but the student's name is Dean, he wants to talk to you" I nodded and looked toward the others. " Stay here I'll be back soon" I told them.

I walked out with Xu to Dean's dorm. I didn't know what to expect.

When we got there, Dean was alone in the dorm. He saluted then the three of us sat down. " So Dean I heard about you making it out of the garden…impressive…what did you want to talk to me about?"

He seemed nervous, probably because I was putting on my instructor voice gain, but he spoke. " Well…wouldn't it be better if we got a mole into the Council? It would be so easy" I frowned. He wanted to go in as a mole. 

" I don't know Dean…I mean it would be dangerous.."

He shook his head.

" I'm an expert, trust me!"

Xu nodded, " I've seen him Quistis, he's good"

Sighing, I nodded. " Ok, I hope I'm doing the right thing"

Authors P.O.V

Donas walked in Manches's office once more. " Sir, you requested to see me?"

Manches nodded. " Donas, the Collector is almost finished. We finished creating the first few types of Grogoids. They're perfect, I'll send a few to hunt the sorceress and knight down" Donas nodded. " Very good indeed sir, what do you wish me to tell the gardens?"

Manches thought for a moment. " Tell them we have found the Knight and he is imprisoned" Donas smiled. " Yes sir" She turned on her heals after giving him a solid salute and walked out. Manches laughed heartily to himself. "Perfect…just perfect"

Donas silently walked down the corridor away from Manches's office. **I'm not supposed to question him but is he serious? The gardens are going to realize we're lying through out teeth**. Donas shook her head. **The Grogoids, he says they're perfect, but are they? How could a simple grat mutation be so dangerous?, I just don't get it. **Despite her growing concerns she continued on to give the gardens the new 'information'.

Rinoa P.O.V

****

I wanna go home That's what he had said. Home. The Garden. I felt the same as him, garden is home. But we can't just go back. We just couldn't. What if we're hated? I couldn't handle that, I doubt Squall could either. **Selphie, Irvine, Quisty, Zell, what are you all doing now? Are you all ok? ** I wanted to know how they were so bad. But how was it possible? 

I looked over at Squall. He was definitely asleep. He had his face toward me and his arm draped across his chest. He looked so calm, so peaceful. I wish I could be asleep right now. But I was scared again. Would Raylin be there? I hoped so. I needed to talk to her. Maybe Rayne and Raylin are related? **I'll find out**

That night I did fall asleep. I did dream of Raylin once again.

~Dream~

" Hi Raylin" 

She turned around and smiled in her special way." Hello again"

" I need to ask you something"

"Yes?"

" Do you know about a place called Crescent winds? Do you know a lady called Rayne?"

Her smile faded slightly. " Yes I do" She replied. " Crescent Winds was my old home, Rayne was my daughter, I left a long time ago, and I havn't seen her since"

This was not all too surprising. I nodded. " Why did you leave?"

She smiled again, " I will tell you another time" I understood.

She began he advice speech. "Rinoa, about Seifer, you really should trust him, he truly wishes to help you" **I figured** " I know, but its hard, I mean he was my enemy. I can never forget what he did" Raylin closed her eyes " Yes your right Rinoa, but forgive him, he is a misunderstood child" I laughed slightly. " He would hate to hear that" She laughed also, " Yes you're right again"

Looking back up at her I looked at her eyes. So icy, deep and faded with blue. " Your going to wake up now Rinoa" I sighed. " These dreams becoming so short" She agreed. "Yes but I need to explain things to you slowly." I nodded, still disappointed. 

Author's Note: This took me all night. There may be quite a few spelling errors in it. I'm too tired to go over it now, but I will go back and edit it. Please review with ideas and comments. 

Thanks to:

Renegade Seraph

inoa2360;eartily 


	7. A Lost Past

Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with final fantasy 8

Squall P.O.V

When I woke up I had truly wished, and expected to see my boring dull dorm, my jacket hanging up beside me and an announcement ringing over the P.A asking me to come to headmaster Cid's office. But instead I saw the bottom of the top bunk and fire leaping up the walls of a very strange room. 

Rinoa was lying the other bunk bed to my left. Sound asleep. Rayne was standing at the door to the bedroom.

" Good morning! " She exclaimed happily. " You can have a shower if you want" She pointed to the next room, on my right. I nodded and got up. She exited the room.

I was greatly looking forward to hot a shower, well, I hoped it was hot.

To my great joy, it was. They coldness made it so much better, to come from a freezing room into a steaming hot shower. When I got out I dried and found that my old clothes had been replaced with new ones. A sleeveless gray shirt, black soft jacket (not leather) and long black cargo pants. Not bad really. Luckily I still had my old black boots.

I quickly dressed and walked back into the room. Rinoa was still asleep, looking as cute as ever. I couldn't help but smile at how peaceful she looked. 

Rayne was in the first room. I walked through the hanging cloth that was the bedroom door and began talking to her. The house I was in had no doors. Just hanging cloth. No houses in the village had any doors, no need.

" Feeling better?"

I nodded. " Yeah, and thanks for new clothes, heaps better"

She smiled brightly clasping her hands in front her. " That's great! I got rid of your old ones, they were torn and ripped" Strangely I was glad. She was right. They had been torn and ripped from the journey and were too small anyway, I wanted a change from leather. 

She led me outside. " Call this, 'your place' ok?" she said motioning toward the house. 

"Ok" She seemed delighted.

" We don't get visitors here at Crescent Winds, because we are so well hidden, our first visitor came about…200 hundred years ago I think, my mother married him. They wanted to travel the world together, so they left my brother, sister and I here and promised they would be back. They never came back, probably got killed" I felt sorry for her, but then realized something.

" 200 hundred years ago?, how old are you?" She smiled noticing how surprised I looked. 

" I'm somewhere between 190 and 200, I'm not so sure myself, people here at Crescent Winds can live up to about 1000 years" My eyes widened.

"Wow…" I whispered. Rayne laughed. " That's exactly what Seifer said!"

****

Speak of the devil Seifer came walking down. He stopped to smile at Rayne and then turned to me.

" Is Rinoa awake yet?" 

" No I let her sleep in, she's tired" 

"Oh ok…"

The air seemed to suddenly grow very tense. I didn't mind having Seifer here, really. He had helped us after all, but so many memories came flooding back every time I saw him. Not to mention how my scar burned too. I just had to try to accept him as a friend. **Did I?**

Thankfully Rinoa walked out. She also had a shower. Her clothes had been changed. She wore knee-high brown boots, a light blue tank top, black shorts with a black skirt over that hung over it held loosely by a brown belt. On her arms she wore blue material that hung longer past her hands. **Wow** She smiled when she saw me. 

" Looks like we both get a new closet" I smiled back and looked back at Rayne. 

" Can we look around the village?" I asked her. She nodded. " First let me take you to The Fire" She replied.

Seifer walked off and Rinoa and I followed Rayne. There were a few people out now. Mostly children. They all had white hair, their skin pale and their eyes blue and frozen like ice. They looked us and waved as we walked by. 

When we reached our destination Rayne motioned for us. It was a huge bonfire. Flames red, orange, yellow and green were leaping up out of the snow. The wall of ice behind was as frozen as the rest of the village. In front of the fire was a large round circle. An ice bench was around the outside of the circle. It looked amazing.

" This is what we call The Fire, it's where we get everything from, clothes, food, housing, you name it!" 

I grinned. **The Fire** That's what they called it. Not the great wondrous fire or the gifting flames or anything like that. Just The Fire. 

Rayne left us a while after that and Rinoa and I sat on the ice benches talking. 

" Squall, where do we go now?"

" I dunno, maybe we could just stay here for a while, maybe even when we leave we could go to the garden or something"

" Yeah maybe, but how would we get into the garden? Disguises?"

" Probably"

Rinoa said she wanted to go ask Rayne about something and left. I was left near The Fire. I wanted to search the village but I had seen most of it on the way here. Sitting here alone, made me think too much. That always happens to me. It was an old habit and I was losing it, but from time to time it took over. In my thoughts a song came into my mind I remembered hearing.

****

I wake up in the morning, put on my face

The one that's gonna get me, through another day

Doesn't really matter, how I feel inside, cos life is like a game sometimes

But then you came around me, the walls just disappeared 

Nothing to surround me, keep me from my fears, I'm unprotected

See how I've opened up, you made me trust

I smiled at the familiar song. It had reminded me of myself. These thoughts somehow made me think of them. **Selphie, Irvine, Zell, Quisty** **would you have done what I did? Would you agree with me?** Edea would be proud. She wanted us to follow our hearts, trust in ourselves. **That's what I'm doing right?** How would I ever know, being so far away.

I wanted to go home.

Author's P.O.V

The monsters thrashed in their cages, screaming to be let out. Manches puffed his cigar and smiled. " They're better than what I thought" He laughed, watching them bash up against their cages. " Let them out, they'll find the knight and sorceress, and bring them to me in hopefully, under ten pieces" He ordered the guard, chuckling to himself.

The guard nodded and released the lever that opened the cages. The monsters ran out screeching. They ran through the dark corridor and out into the open. They smelt the air and ran toward their destination, nearly 200 miles away. The Herms Ranges.

Manches was pleased with his creations. " Have they caught the Ruby Dragons?" He asked the guard. The guard nodded. " About six of them sir" Manches laughed. 

"Perfect"

Quistis P.O.V 

Dean had managed to get into the Council easily. He had a guard uniform. They just found him in Deling with the other guards and ordered to go to the station and assist Donas. They hadn't even thought twice about him being a student at garden, just told him to go because he was wearing the uniform. Weird, really weird. I hadn't heard anything from him.

I had been called to see headmaster Cid a few times and all he had said was to check the training center or to begin classes again or even just to make an announcement. He was keeping something from me and from the rest of the garden. Soon enough I would know. Soon.

I had filled the rest of the gang in on the news of Dean getting in the Council. They had been delighted. Selphie had been ecstatic. She had said, " Quisty! Now we can blow the Council to smithereens and get Squall and Rinnie back!, You know what that means right! Yeah! Woo-Hoo!" Strangely enough I had liked her plan. But we couldn't do anything until we had more info. Dean had a convosat. He could type a message to us and we would receive it in an hour. Like email.

**I hope he's ok**

Squall P.O.V

I sat on the ice bench drowning in my thoughts when a little girl came up to me. She had shoulder length white hair and a blue dress. She looked about 4-5 years old. 

"Hullo Sir! Rayne told me to tell yoo that…um…to go to yoo're place and meet her there…I think, yeah so um yoo have to go there ok?" I smiled and nodded. " Thanks for the message"

Rinoa P.OV

I had decided to ask Rayne about Raylin. In my dream Raylin said Rayne was her daughter. But that's all she said. I wanted to know more. 

When I found her she was outside the 'my place'. Rayne had told me to call it that. She smiled brightly when she saw me and seemed eager to talk. 

"Rayne, hi, I just need to ask you about something, um, do you know a lady called Raylin?"

Rayne smiled and nodded. " Yes Raylin was my mothers name, but the Raylin you know won't be her, she died"

" Oh, I'm sorry…thanks anyway"

Rayne walked over to a little in girl in blue dress and told her something, the girl ran off, then Rayne came back. " I told her to go and get Squall" She said. I nodded as I watched the little girl run off. After a little while Squall came running up. " What did you need me for?" He asked Rayne 

" I wanted to introduce you both to my brother and sister, they live just over there" She pointed to a large house across from our place on the left. We walked with her to the house. Inside was a girl with long brown hair, it was darker than Squall's and hung down past her waist. She looked towards us and smiled. Her eyes were green and her skin looked pale, but as pale as Rayne. 

Squall and I shook her hand. " I'm Meryl" She said " Nice to meet you"

Behind her was a boy about our age with shoulder length honey blonde hair, tied back. He did a small wave and introduced himself. " I'm Lance". Squall smiled and looked toward Rayne with a questioning look on his face.

Rayne laughed. " Are you wondering why Lance and Meryl look nothing like me? Well it's because our father was not from Crescent Winds and so I have my looks from my mothers side and Meryl and Lance get theirs from our father"

We both nodded. Meryl laughed slightly and sat down at the table and chair next to her. She was doing some tapestry. It was a rose in a background of pink and green. I went and sat don next to her. Lance went into the back room and Squall started to talk with Rayne.

"Wow your really good"

Meryl smiled sweetly at my comment. " Thanks, I'm trying to get my brother to learn tapestry but he doesn't seem to keen" She was right. I looked over at where Lance had been. The piece of cloth he had been working on looked more like tangle then tapestry. 

" Oh yeah, your right, I think it's a loosing battle" I said

She laughed, agreeing with me, " Yep, your right on that one"

Later that day Rayne took us back to our place and we ate. It was the first thing we had eaten in about more than 2 days. The most filling meal I ever ate. After that I headed back down to The Fire and sat on the ice bench. None was around, probably gone to bed, but I wasn't tried yet. Squall was back at my place, or 'our place'.

I began to softly sing my mother's most famous song,

****

Whenever sang my songs, on the stage, on my own

Whenever said my words, wishing they would be heard

I saw you smiling at me, was it real or just my fantasy

You'd always be there in the corner of this tiny little bar

Squall P.O.V

I had decided to look for Rinoa. She left a little while ago. I figured she had gone to The Fire. As I neared The Fire, I could here someone singing. I could have sworn it sounded like an angel. A soft voice, a familiar. It was Rinoa. She sitting on the ice bench singing a song. A had heard it somewhere before, but I couldn't place it. I stood away from her and listened.

****

So let me come to you, close as I wanna be

Close enough for me, to feel your heart beating fast

And stay there as I whisper, how I loved your peaceful eyes on me

But did you ever know that I had mine on you

I walked up to her and sat down next to her. She stopped and looked at me. She dipped her head down so that the strands of hair tucked behind her ears came falling down to hide her face. 

" You have a great voice Rin" 

" Thanks…it's my mother's song, eyes on me"

Then I remembered. It had been the song Raine had told Laguna about in the past. Julia's first song, Rinoa's mother.

" Is there something wrong?" I asked her. She sighed and leaned her head on my shoulder. " When are we going home?"

I wanted to answer that question in a way that would make her smile, but I couldn't think of what to say. Noticing my silence she answered her own question. " Probably never.." She whispered. As horrible as it was, she was most likely right. 

The village was dark, despite being inside a mountain, day and night still had its affects. Night was dark, day was light.. The darkness was making me sleepy. I could tell that it made Rinoa sleepy too because she had her eyes closed. I kissed her forehead and lifted her up. 

As I walked back to my place, carrying the sleeping Rinoa, I saw no one. Everyone was asleep. My thoughts wondered back to Julia's song. **No, not anymore, it's Rinoa's song**.

At my place I laid Rinoa down in her bed and went to bed myself. **Goodnight**

Rinoa P.O.V

~Dream~

Raylin was standing next to me. We were in the ice cavern, looking at the enormous arc that led to the small passage into Crescent Winds.

" I suppose your going to explain to me why we're here," I said to her. She nodded

" When I used to live in Crescent Winds, a stranger came. He was a traveler. He had stumbled across Crescent Winds somehow. His name was Logan. I fell in love with him. We married and had three children. Meryl, Lance and Rayne. He wanted to continue his travels before he got too old and I was desperate to go with him. I left the children, promised to come back and left. When we left the Herms Ranges, Logan was killed and I was lost. I wandered around, trying to find my home, but I was so miserable I failed to go home, now I can never return"

I looked at her feeling, so sorry for her, " But why? Why can't you return?"

" Because, when someone that has lived in Crescent Winds for so long leaves, if they stay away too long, they become a faded memory. I'm a faded memory. Because of that, I can't go back. This arc you see, this is the point that I can't go past."

" But why don't you just wait here until someone sees you. Someone will come out and see you."

" That's just it, they can't see me, or feel me, or hear me. I'm a ghost to them. I found that I was able to come into dreams. I chose to go into yours because you interested me, through your dreams, is the only way I can find out about my home"

I pitied her. The life she had, it was so sad. Her face looked upset and hurt.

" My advice for you this time" She said, " Is, life doesn't always go your way, you will always be caught in the middle of a decision, and no matter what, you will always choose wrong unless you decide to believe this"

What she said made sense, as strange as it sounds.

Authors Note: I think this chapter was the longest so far. Took me forever! Just to clear some things up, I have been putting the story mainly in Rinoa and Quistis's P.O.V because I think they shape the story better. Quistis is a person the gang relies on a lot. So it would be better to put it in her p.o.v. I put it in Squall's P.O.V this time cos' he has his won different thoughts on this. Thanks for asking about it, if there is anything you wanna know or any idea's or comments just say so in your review. 

Thanks to 

Dark Goddess Of Good

Renegade Seraph

****


	8. What happens now?

__

Those three small words

I can read from your heart

But when you say it out loud,

It tears me apart…

Written by…me.

Rinoa's P.O.V

It hadn't even been a scary dream and yet I woke up with such a fright that I bumped my head on the bed above me and fell back onto my pillow rubbing my sore head.

I didn't remember coming here last night, so I guessed that I must have fallen asleep and Squall had taken me to bed. **Oops. **

Crawling out of bed I noticed that Squall was already up, but his black jacket was lying on his bed. I picked it up and felt it in my hands. Soft and warm. Not like the cold leather jacket he used to wear. I dressed and put the jacket on over my blue top. 

Walking out of my place the cold air hit my skin, but I hardly noticed. I walked on through the village looking for anyone I knew…even maybe Seifer. Looking around at all the people that were now wondering around the village like a normal day, I wondered how peaceful their lives must be, how different their life is from mine.

How did they get on in life without knowing about the outside world? Without knowing about the problems, death, pain and suffering of so many outside…probably a much better life then me.

My mind was occupied with so many things that I didn't notice Meryl and Squall in front of me talking. I almost bumped into them. Meryl laughed when she saw me and grabbed me by the shoulders bringing me back to reality. 

"Hey Rin!" She yelled happily.

I smiled, trying to look happy. As always, Squall saw past my happy face.

"Rin, you ok?" He asked. He didn't bother to hide the concern in his voice. I smiled when I saw him. He wasn't wearing his jacket, of course I was wearing it, but he looked so different with arms exposed. I couldn't be unhappy anymore. I smiled brightly this time and wrapped my arms around him. " Oh, I just have a lot of things on my mind, but its ok"

He seemed happy enough and hugged me back. I turned back to Meryl.

" Have you seen Rayne?" 

" She 's near our place, I think she was a little upset about something, but I dunno, just go see her" I nodded, thankful that Meryl was so laid back.

I nodded at Squall and began to walk towards Meryl's place. As she said, Rayne was there. She was talking to Lance, he didn't seem to happy, and for a moment I thought about turning back, when Rayne turned and yelled at me happily.

"Hey! Rinny! Come quick, I have the best news!"

For some reason I had this bad feeling that this 'news' was not going to be all good.

Meryl's P.O.V

Rayne had spoken to me before about her idea, I thought it wasn't too bad.

The only problem was Lance, he was so stubborn. I just knew he wouldn't like her idea.

Rayne had told us about Rinoa and Squall. I pitied them. Running from so many people, just because she's different. I was glad that I had not been to the outside world, because it did not sound as exciting as I thought. No wonder mother and father died out there.

Rayne wanted us to take them to the Bryne Wasteland. It was east from the Herms Ranges and Lance and I had researched it and read maps and so on and so forth. So we knew all about it. We would also get a better look at the outside world. 

If a group of five people were seen (including Seifer) wandering around a wasteland, maybe the Council, or whatever they are, wouldn't consider this as Rinoa and Squall. It was a plan at least. But I just knew Lance wouldn't see it as this. 

After showering and getting cleaned up, I decided to look for Squall or Rinoa. I found Squall. He was watching some kids play Hoop Ball. He smiled when he saw me, obviously glad to see someone familiar. Even though I hardly knew him. He got up, waving to the kids. 

" Hey Squall, watcha doin?" 

" Watching the kids play…um…hoop ball I think"

"Yeah, that's it, hey um has Rayne spoken to you about anything really important?"

"No, should she have?"

"Yeah, she'll tell ya later"

At that moment Rinoa was walking towards us. She had her head down, and I guessed she was deep in thought. She almost walked into us but I grabbed her by the shoulders.

I tried to cheer her up by my happiness. But she didn't seem too happy about something. She hugged Squall and asked me where Rayne was. I told her to go to my place.

After she left, I turned back to Squall. 

" She didn't seem too happy did she?"

Squall seemed disturbed by the way she had looked so empty, so deprived of happiness.

"Yeah I guess, she does have a reason though, I mean think about our situation. We're running from the Council, the gardens and our friends…can't blame her"

I understood, nodding.

Silence seemed to take center stage in our conversation. Squall broke it first, fortunately.

" I've been meaning to ask you about this place, I don't know much about it. So if it's ok with you, could you kinda give me a quick tour or something?"

I was glad he asked. I liked to spend time with him. **Ah! What's wrong with me? He's taken damnit. Stop those thoughts, _stop_.**

I nodded quickly and smiled to assure him I was glad. He smiled back, briefly, and followed me. Rinoa had said before that he was still in 'training' to smile more. Although personally I thought he was doing great.

First I showed him all the houses and explained about how our ancestors had built all of them. Everything had come from The Fire of course. I told him about how the houses can keep cold in, but not all of it. Because to us, the cold isn't so bad as it is for outsiders.

He told me about how he didn't mind the cold so much, and had decided to leave his jacket behind. Rinoa on the other hand, didn't like the cold too much. 

I showed him all around, including my mother's old place. When he said he'd had enough, we decided on going to my place. Lance and Rayne were there, so was Rinoa. Rinoa had a look on her face that I didn't seem to like very much. A look of complete understanding, but of confusion and shock. Squall waved a hand in front of her face. She jumped slightly and came back to the present.

" You ok?" Squall asked her. She nodded slowly, then shook her head. 

Squall just sighed and sat down next to her.

" You told her didn't you?" I said to Rayne, looking slightly disappointed. I had wanted us all to be here and discuss it through. As if on cue, Seifer walked in and took a seat next to Lance. **He does that a lot…kinda freaky. **

Rayne didn't bother answering my question and began the 'meeting'.

" Ok, Squall, Seifer. You two don't know this yet, but I have already told Meryl, Lance and Rinoa of my plans." She cleared her throat. " It seems to me that you two need some help, Rinoa and Squall. So I thought that maybe the five of you, Meryl, Lance, Rinoa, Squall and Seifer, could all go to the Bryne Wasteland, east from the Herms Ranges. If the Council, or anyone else, were to see you they would perhaps not consider a group of five people to be you. Meryl and Lance have researched this area and studied maps of it, so you'll be safe. From there they can take you to The Springs. It's a valley that our father told us about. Our mother said that when she reached there, she would use her magic to hide it away from eyes other than those from Crescent Winds. Once there, you'll be hidden in it's magic" She paused for a moment. " The only problem you face is that..well…my parents may not have made it to The Springs"

Once again Silence took center stage. I could tell Squall was trying to consider the options in his head. Seifer didn't seem too shocked he just sat, waiting for someone else to speak. Finally Squall turned to Rinoa.

" What do you think Rin? It's our best chance…really" 

Rinoa nodded, her lost face turning to that of excitement. " When do we leave?" She asked. Rayne looked delighted. She clasped her hands in front of her the way she did when she was happy. 

" It's up to you really, you can stay in Crescent Winds for a while longer and study some maps if you wish" 

Rinoa and Squall agreed and we all departed. Lance went into the back room as usual and Rayne walked out to go to The Fire. I got out my tapestry.

I wasn't sure where Seifer went, but Squall and Rinoa went back to their place. 

As they left, I waved and looked back at my work. 

Squall's P.O.V 

Rinoa walked along ahead of me, with ease too. Her boots were much better suited for walking in thick snow. 

" So, um, why'd you leave your jacket behind?" She asked me.

" Well I guess I just want to get a better appreciation for the cold, you know?"

" Yeah I suppose, but I think I just want to go back and snuggle up in my bed! I'm freezing you know! This weather just isn't my type."

I laughed at her comment and stopped. " Well I'm going back to see Meryl, she seems lonely" Rinoa turned back to me and smiled. 

" Oh! What a sweetie! Your gonna go give her some company, your so sweet! Ok then but make sure your home in time for dinner ok?"

I rolled my eyes and turned back waving to her. But then I turned and put on a sarcastic voice. " Whatever…" She laughed her way back to our place. 

When I made it back to Meryl's place. She was still working on her tapestry and I guessed that Lance was still in the back room. She hadn't noticed I had entered.

I took this as my best chance to scare her witless.

I crept up beside her and was about to put my hands on her shoulders and yell, but she caught me. " I know your there Squall, you little sneak"

I pouted like a little child, doing my best imitation of one of the junior classman when they found out they had their worst class next. " Awwwww" 

She laughed at me and turned from her work. I sat on the small sofa.

" So, is Lance still in the back room?"

" Yup, he's looking at some maps of the Bryne Wasteland, he just wants to be prepared"

" Oh ok, is he always like this? You know…he doesn't chat much"

She chuckled at my comment. " Yeah he's just anti-social" **Is that what I was always like? Oh well, I'm different now. **

We talked for a bit and then Rayne joined us. 

" I heard you and Rinoa had quite a few adventures," Rayne asked in that cheerful voice of hers, that reminded me of Selphie a lot. 

" You hear that from Seifer?"

" Yes" She replied.

" Well yeah, I'm…was a SeeD and when I passed my exam I met Rinoa at the graduation dance. The next day I had my first mission, I went with Zell and Selphie. It was to help out a resistance faction in a city called Timber. We took a train to Timber and met up with the Resistance faction, Forest Owls. Rinoa happened to be the leader. We helped her capture the president of Galbadia. 

Galbadia is a country. Anyway, when we 'confronted' him, he was just a body double."

Rayne seemed to be drawn to my story. She begged me to continue. Meryl looked just as happy. 

" We went to the T.V station, because there was to be a broadcast that had been made for…well I can't remember for how long, but a long time. It turned out that the sorceress, Edea, was to become Galbadia's new ambassador. Seifer broke into the T.V station and held the president hostage, he let him go and escaped with the sorceress. That's when we met up with Quistis. Galbadian soldiers were all over the city, so we escaped, via train, to Galbadia garden, I guess Seifer has already told you about the gardens?"

They both nodded. I continued.

" Well, at Galbadia garden we found out that Seifer had been given a trial and executed.

We were given orders from both Balamb and Galbadia garden to assassinate the sorceress in Deling" 

I stopped my story, much to their disappointment. 

" I'll tell you the rest later ok?"

They didn't seem all too happy but agreed to meet me at The Fire in the morning. 

I went into the back room to see Lance. 

"Hey, I heard you were looking at some maps of this wasteland we're going to"

Lance nodded and continued to study the maps. I walked over and looked at them.

" Where did you get them from?"

" We got them from our father, because he traveled so much"

That was the longest sentence I had heard him say. 

" Oh…"

I looked at them some more. They were old and worn, but still readable. They showed the Hermes Ranges in such detail that you find a good cave to sleep in for the night. 

I left him to it, said bye to Meryl and Rayne and went back to see Rinoa.

When I got there, she was asleep in her bed. She wasn't dressed in her gray bedclothes, but her boots were at the end of her bed. She was still wearing my jacket. She looked so peaceful. I didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead I sat sown next to her bed, just looking at her sleeping form.

I was still afternoon and she was sound asleep. She probably didn't get much sleep the previous night. We had stayed up for quite a while. 

I showered and came back into the room, sitting next to her. I just wanted it to be night, so I could go into bed and wake up, get prepared to leave and talk to her some more. But night was still so far off. 

I thought back to the conversation we had back before her trial…

__

" It isn't fair Rin…it just isn't!"

" I know Squall, please calm down, but they have reason to don't they?"

" No! They sure as hell don't. For all this time they haven't noticed you, and now they choose to start picking on you? It's just not right"

" Again, I know and we can't help that, but I still want you to be there, at the trial, please Squall, be there"

" Ok, I'll be there, but not for them, for you"

" Thankyou"

So I had been there. I had seen the hurt look on her face when they decided to send her away to Odine. I remembered how angry I had been, how I had boiled inside.

I fell asleep beside her bed, with these thoughts in my mind. I don't think I was asleep for long. It was still noon when I woke up. Rinoa woke me. She was still lying in bed, a sleepy look on her face.

" What are you doing here mister?" She asked, sarcasm in her voice.

" I don't know…I guess I just wanted to stay here"

She smiled and rolled over to face me. I yawned and looked around. I was freezing, so I grabbed a blanket off my bed and sat back down next to her bed.

" I still do…" I whispered and closed my eyes. 

We both fell asleep again and must have slept for a long time.

Rinoa's P.O.V

~Dream~

I thought my dreams with Raylin would begin to be all the same, but I was wrong. I was back in the mist, the damp moss ground and the darkness that swallowed everything. 

I was expecting Raylin to suddenly appear and explain everything I was seeing. But she didn't and I began to get scared that my nightmare would repeat itself. I reached up for the rings around my neck and thankfully my hands met the cold metal. 

" Raylin…where am I? Are you even here" My questions were unanswered. Not a thing moved. 

I was about to run, to try and get away, to wake up. But instead I heard voices. 

" Are you sure we're not lost? Maybe we should have kept going on from The Springs…"

" I know, your right but I think we'll be ok"

" I hope your right…"

The owners of the voices came into view. I almost cried out in joy when I saw them. It was Raylin and another man. He had long brown hair tied back.

I ran up to them. They didn't even see me. I guessed it was because of the fog.

" Raylin! Where are we?"

No answer.

" Raylin?"

They continued to walk on, right past me. **Can they see me…or hear me?**

I didn't understand why they were ignoring me. I followed them. They seemed very lost. Raylin looked worried and held onto the mans hand, looking around as if expecting something to leap out at them. I did too, strangely. 

They both stopped and Raylin turned to him, a desperate look on her face. 

" Logan, listen to me. We have to turn back. We're going to get ourselves completely lost!"

" Ok, I agree with you there. We'll go back. I don't like the looks of this place."

Raylin smiled, relieved and they began to walk back. 

Now I understood. Raylin was showing me the past. Her travels with Logan. Is this how they got lost and Logan died? I was so unsure.

Before I could try to figure it out. I woke up. Something or someone was tugging at my arm. It was Meryl. She was wearing a long white, plain dress.

" Hey sleepy head, time to eat"

I walked into the first room of the house. Squall and Rayne were sitting around a large table full of food. It was amazing how they had managed to set up so much food. Squall and Rayne looked toward me and grinned. 

" Good afternoon miss Heartily, care to join us?" 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

I had eaten enough to last me a few days. Because I had slept for so long, I didn't feel so tired when the time came to go to bed. Neither did Squall. The others left and went to bed, tiredness written all over them. 

Squall and I went to The Fire…again. I told myself I wasn't going to fall asleep this time.

We talked. We just talked about anything and everything. 

" Squall, if we ever go back to the garden, which we probably won't, what do you think they would say? Do you think they're angry at us…or maybe ashamed, or upset, or disappointed, or-"

"- or nothing Rin, they're our friends and you know that…it took me a while to see just what it's like to open up to them and accept their friendship, but now that I know, I can guarantee what they would be thinking…that we're doing the right thing and if they could help it, they'd be with us too"

I couldn't help but smile so broadly it made him grin back. He was getting so good at this. I leaned over and wrapped my arms around his waist. 

" I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have thought it…thanks" 

He nodded and hugged me back.

****

Do you love me?…of course you do…but why won't you say it? 

__ ****


	9. So I Fell

  
Starting from here, let's make a promise  
You and me, let's just be honest  
We're gonna run, nothing can stop us  
Even the night that falls all around us

  
We'll run away, keep everything simple  
Night will come down, our guardian angel  
We rush ahead, the crossroads are empty  
Our spirits rise, they're not gonna get us  


Song by Tatu, They're not gonna get us

Quistis P.O.V

We received information from Dean, finally. 

**__**

It seems the Council has put blindfolds on us all. The amount f Council guards in the station is low enough to allow anyone to walk in and out easily. No wonder I managed to get in so well. 

My orders were to help capture ruby dragons. Donas is using them for experiments. I'm still not sure what kind of experiments, but it doesn't seem too good. The information we all received about the Council discovering a piece of the sorceress's hair and investigating was false. So is the information of the knight being captured. He isn't here. They're lying through their teeth. I'll get more information on these experiments and get back to you soon. 

We had all been worried on account of this new information. Selphie had suggested that we get someone else in there and almost as quickly as she had said it, she volunteered. Irvine had said he would go with her and I myself wished to accompany them. If Zell and Xu stayed here, we could gather more info and make sure to look out for eachother. It had to work.

Dean agreed with us and sent us info on the Council guard uniforms. Xu and I began to make them. I just hoped that what ever the Council was up to, we could stop them and if our info leaked out, we'd be dead for sure. Zell had wanted to tell his girlfriend, Zina, about it. She worked in the library. She gave us our full support and said to help us out with the uniforms and stay here with Zell and Xu. Zina had become a good friend of ours. Zell and her spent a lot of time together. I considered her as one of the gang.

We couldn't say anything until we got more info from Dean and until the uniforms were ready. Luckily we received a second message from him.

**__**

You won't believe the stuff I've found out! The reason why Council guards are being ordered to capture ruby dragons is because they're mutating them with some kind of virus. I don't know what its called yet but I do know that this mutation makes the dragons extremely powerful…and ugly. So far 9 dragons have been captured. 

They're building a device called the Collector. It's being built at the sorceress memorial. The collector will bring all the monsters in the area to that one point. Once the monsters have been called there, the Collector sends off a wave full of the toxin that mutates them on the spot. The Collector's almost finished and I doubt that these mutated creatures are gonna be used to help people. I heard they sent some mutated grats off to hunt down the sorceress and knight. I'll get back to you soon.

This news shocked us all. The Council was definitely not what we thought it was. All this time they had been deceiving us. Selphie began to mentally make plans on how to blow The Sorceress Memorial and the Station to smithereens. We worked harder on the uniforms, but we couldn't do a shabby job. Only time would tell. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Squall's P.O.V

We spent all of the next day getting prepared for our journey across the Bryne wasteland and into The Springs. Meryl showed me her weapon. Two medium length blades. They were blue and had spikes on the tips. We both spent time in her place with Lance sharpening. Lance had a long sword. Cleanly cut. I wasn't sure where Seifer was but I knew he'd be somewhere getting his gear ready too.

Rinoa seemed to like spending time with Rayne. They both spent their time getting food ready. Things like little cakes that last for months and water crystals that when melted make 3 liters of water. They packed it all into two small bags that Meryl and I would have to carry at first then swap around. Hopefully the provisions would last us long enough until we got to The Springs. 

Preparing took us half the day. For the rest of the day we looked around the village more and watched a Hoop Ball contest that the kids really wanted us to see. 

Rinoa and I had both agreed to stay in Crescent Winds for four more days that night. On the fourth day we would leave. 

Rinoa's P.O.V

The previous night I didn't dream about Raylin and Logan. In fact I didn't dream at all. It was strange, to fall asleep and expect to see Raylin but not dream at all. I didn't want to tell Squall or anyone about the dreams. I didn't know what would happen. I would probably upset someone, for them to know that Raylin is a Faded Memory. I didn't want anything like that to happen.

It's strange really. When we were all getting prepared for our journey. I felt…scared. I had no idea what would happen if we got to The Springs. We didn't even know if Rayne's mother made it to The Springs. Even if we got there and even if it was protected by her magic, what would we do? Just stay there for as long as we wanted without a care in the world? Just wait there until everyone 'forgets' about us? It just seemed so wrong, so unclear. But then again, everything was unclear. 

So many times I seemed to have been the weaker one in the group. Always worrying about what would happen next and who would come out alive. Not once did I ever seem to notice that the unexpected always happened and we always made it out ok. I was so weak back then. **I still am. **

" Hey are you alive? Or are…back in the 'Rinoa world' again" 

I looked up to see Meryl. She was giving me that amused look. 

" Oh, sorry I was just thinking about the journey and well…I'm just not sure about some things"

" Like if my mother made it to The Springs and put the spell on? Like what your gonna do once you get there…yeah I've been thinking about too you know. But I'm not worrying, cos' worrying never got anyone anywhere right?"

She let a sad sigh escape her and looked down. She knew exactly what I had been thinking and suddenly I felt guilty…no selfish.

" Don't worry Rin, you know, my mother told me this before she left…never frown cos' you never know who might be falling in love with your smile…I took her advice and I think, that you should too"

I smiled at her, reassuring her. " Thanks Meryl, I think I understand now"

So we stayed there, in Crescent Winds, just four more days. Some of the happiest days of my life.

I knew that I would try to come back here. I owed so much to the people of Crescent Winds. 

My journey was going to begin and so were the changes in my life, the ones that would last forever, not just in me, but to the people around me too. ****

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

" We'll miss you all lots and lots and lots and lots, we promise!"

" Make sure you can come back and watch the next big Hoop Ball contest ok?"

" Buh-bye! I'll miss yoo!"

The children said their good-byes to us and left, back to play Hoop Ball or to just go home. Most of them left with tears in their eyes. 

" Meryl, Lance don't be too long! Who knows how long it would take for you to both become Faded Memories! Oh please don't go long enough for that to happen!"

" I'll miss you all, be careful"

" Come home soon"

The village people also said goodbye, but Rayne was the last.

" Um…I'm not sure what to say really, just be careful and look out for one another, you'll be fine. Everything will be ok and we can have a big welcome back party and…just don't become Faded Memories Meryl, Lance, I couldn't bear that!"

Meryl and Lance said their goodbye to their sister and we left. They both left knowing that this was their first time leaving Crescent Winds and going into the outside world. I would try to make sure that they got home again… **yeah, try.**

In the ice cavern we stopped at the arc. The arc that I knew Raylin couldn't pass. **Raylin are you there? Are you there watching us…I hope you are. ** We walked under the arc, but Meryl seemed to hesitate first. It took a while, but once we were out of the ice cavern and standing next to the wall of ice that led back in, Meryl took a deep breath and looked around.

" So…the outside world huh? I'm sure it can't be too exiting right…hmmm"

We gave her time to take in the fact that this was her fist time outside. Lance on the other hand seemed fine. Seifer didn't seem to take notice of anything…or anyone. 

" Lance…have you been out here before?"

" Yes, I've been to the valley down below"

"Oh…"

So we walked down the snow path that I had walked up with Seifer and Squall. I hated it still but kept going. Something kept me going. Hope? No…the fact that I was so uncertain of my ventures ahead that I wanted to keep going, to find out. Maybe that was it. I just kept to my own mind and decided to leave everyone else alone. They probably had their own thoughts to trouble them.

I thought it would be a boring trip through the Herms Ranges, but I was wrong.

Walking along behind Squall, I heard a soft, low hissing sound. It was quiet at first but then gradually got louder. The rest of the group must have heard it too because they stopped. I hoped it was just the wind. 

I was wrong.

It jumped out hiding. From behind a hill of snow. It leapt on to me. I wasn't sure at the time, but it looked like a grat. Just bigger. Squall was yelling and Lance was trying to pull it off me. The grat flung itself off and ran at Squall. He blocked its tentacles that swiped at him and fell down. I was scared. Running toward the 'grat' which by now I had no idea if it was a grat, I cast a fira spell on it. It screeched and ran at me. I wasn't quick enough. It grabbed me around the waist and through me down at the edge of the path. I was looking down over the cliff. Warm sticky blood was oozing out of me. Meryl jumped on it and thrust her blades into it. It seemed to get angry and threw her off. I guessed that Seifer and Lance both got knocked down.

I didn't know what happened next but I found my self being flung over the edge of the path by some powerful force, the wind completely knocked out of me. I fell down the cliff and hit the edge hard. Like I fell in my first dream with Raylin. I hit rocks that peaked out from the snow and was thrown around like a ragdoll until finally I hit the bottom. 

Nothing moved. I lifted my head up from the snow and tried to move. I winced as pain shot up my side, stopping any movement. Coughing, I stained the snow red and dropped my head back down. I turned my head and looked beside me. The dark that was innocuousness consumed my mind until I could feel no more.

Authors Note: Ouch! Anyways…I haven't been getting very many reviews lately (waaaa) and I'm not sure if I should continue this or not. I'll suppose I'll let you decide. Pleeaase review! ANY suggestions are welcome. 


	10. Can Broken Wings Fly

I don't own anything from final fantasy 8

All this black and cruel despair  
This is an emergency  
Don't you hide your eyes from me  
Open them and see me now  
  
Blow a kiss, I run through air  
Leave the past, find nowhere  
Floating forests in the air  
Clowns all around you  


Taken from TATU Clowns

Rinoa's P.O.V

What had happened? I fell. That was as much as I knew. Fallen from where? How? When? Why…?

My body was frozen. But being a sorceress I managed to open my eyes and sit up. The ring on my finger warmed me, comforted me. On my side was a large gash. Dried blood was scattered down my leg and black skirt. My head was throbbing and I wasn't sure if I could stand. So I crawled over to the side and leaned against the hard surface. Holding onto a stub of ice I pulled myself up and began slowly trudging along through the snow, holding onto the side. Where was I going? I didn't know. None else was here and I couldn't hear anyone else. I looked up. Up on a high platform of ice, too steep for me to get onto, stood a wolf. A white wolf, big yet so small. Even from this distance I could see its green eyes, peering at me. It walked away out of sight. Strange so strange.

Every now and again my legs would fail me and I would come crashing down into the snow, face first. It took a lot of energy to get myself back up again but I kept going. I wasn't going to let myself die down here. 

My thoughts were mixed. How I was going to live, where the others were and if they were ok, how long would it be until I froze to death. Things like this. 

When I fell once again I didn't get up. Lying in the snow, my face down I felt warm, comforted but most of all I didn't feel so lonely anymore. I looked up and saw just what had made this feeling.

That wolf. The small white one with the green eyes. It stood just a meter from me and stared at me.

****

What do you want? Just leave me alone

What was it staring at me for? It seemed to be searching me. Probably trying to see if I was a good enough meal. But instead it began to walk away, back in the direction it came from, in front of me. It kept walking until I was unable to see it anymore. I sighed heavily and put my face back down. **Get up, just get up**

I listened o my self and sat up. When looked ahead of me I gasped. She stood there looking at me.

Quistis P.O.V

Dean was right. Everything he had said was true and I had been kidding myself if I anted it to all be a lie. Just a horrible lie. He was here with us explaining everything about the Collector and the dragons. So far they had 20 or more dragons and the plan was about to be put into action. He said that Donas was looking after a stone. This stone apparently could kill any of the mutations the Collector creates. That is if the stone is inserted into the Collector right after the toxic wave gets sent out. Complicated. 


	11. Into The Light

Disclaimer: THIS DISCLAIMER WILL LAST FOR THE WHOLE ENTIRE STORY OK? So um yeah…squaresoft doesn't belong to me…don't sure me. I don't own anything from final fantasy 8.

How can you see into my eyes, like open doors  
leading you down into my core  
where I've become so numb  
without a soul  
my spirit sleeping somewhere cold  
until you find it there and lead it back home

Evanesence , Bring Me To Life

Rinoa P.O.V

She was staring at me. Analyzing me. Her green eyes piercing into me as sharply as her blade, strapped to her waist. 

Her blonde hair waved slightly despite the lack of wind. Her features were soft, yet she looked so strong and brutal. Her pointed ears made me think of an elf. In fact I began to Believe that's what she was. An elf…?

" Rinoa…aren't you?"

Should I answer? I was so confused. A wolf had stood there moments before, and now stood her. Should I trust her? The words escaped my mouth before I could think of what not to say.

" Yes"

I must have sounded nervous. Because her eyes softened and her tone was soothing, like a mother tending her child.

" Don't be afraid, I'm here to help…I've been watching you and I'm surprised. I would have expected you to give up and die. Most people do…but you, you kept going. Why, why do persist?"

"Because I have so much ahead of me, so much I need to resolve, dying here would be running"

She laughed slightly then, in a friendly way. I knew why. I was running anyway. It didn't matter if I died here or anywhere. I am running. Running from my fears. Running from my friends…

So I asked the simplest of questions. " Who are you?"

" My name…I have no name but who can call me what you want. I am a descendant of an elf. I have lived in these mountains for all my life. Watching over the people of Crescent Winds. Watching those who journey here die"

No name. How awful to not know what to call yourself. To have no comfort in who you are. I feel that having a name means you say to yourself. 'I am what I am' and know it. Without a name…you're nothing.

" How do you want to help me?"

" I'm a…what do you call it…a GF…yes that is it. I'm a GF. I can aid you whenever you call me. But for now I will let you follow me back to your friends"

She held out her hand and lifted me back to my feet. As she touched my hand, the wound on my side shrank and disappeared, and leaving no trail to show it had ever existed.

I looked at her for a moment and then smiled.

" Thankyou" 

So I followed her through the snow path, forgotten trails that were hardly visible and over the rocky terrain in which resided in the mountains. With her by my side, I was no longer cold and desperate to live. I knew I was going to live.

We stopped just before a rock wall in which we had to climb. I wondered why we had stopped. I guessed that just after this wall was the spot we left the chocobo's.

" I will be with you all the time. If you need me, call on me. Just remember that ok? Do not tell anyone about me. It is important that I am your secret"

" Ok, but will you always be here?"

" Always"

And just like that, she disappeared. Her form matched with the snow and drifted along the wind. Such a sudden departure. 

I climbed the wall, and sure enough, there they were. Seifer, Lance, Meryl and Squall. I was so happy just to see them again I cried out to them and ran at full speed down the snow slope. Squall ran to me and met me half way. We threw ourselves at each other and I held onto him so tightly I thought I would burst. 

He let go and held my face with both hands.

" Are you ok?"

I smiled at him and leaned in closer, hugging him again.

" I'm fine…really"

He seemed happy enough with my response and dragged me over to the others. Meryl hugged me too and started jumping up and down saying how much she was worried over me. 

It turned out that they had searched for me and found nothing. They returned here to hope that I would come here too.

How had she known?

The chocobo's weren't here and I thought that maybe they had run off. I was sure the cold wouldn't have affected them. Chocobo's don't get cold.

I was wrong. They had been slaughtered. Squall showed me an area just west of where the chocobo's had originally been. Both of our chocobo's had been ripped apart and their insides and thrown all over the place, making the snow seem like a red velvet carpet.

It was sick to look at and disturbing. Not only the fact that were had to walk on foot from here, but the thought of what had killed them.

That's when it clicked. That Grat looking…thing. Whatever it was, it must have come through the mountains in the same path we did and found the chocobo's. 

" That thing must have been following us, tracking us by scent or something maybe"

Squall nodded. It all seemed so weird. And honestly I felt scared. 

Meryl ran up to us and dragged us away from the scene.

" Well is our little fun trip gonna start or what? It's off to Bryne Wasteland!"

She said as if she was off to the place of her dreams or something. Scary. Did she even know what a wasteland was? Had anyone told her about where we were going.

Lance and Seifer seemed like the moody couple. Hardly ever even saying anything and mumbling when they did. It was like the old Squall again…but doubled!

Although he wasn't much help, Lance did know the direction of the Bryne wasteland. So I guess if I wanted to have a conversation with him, I just needed to ask for directions.

How bad is that huh?

We started off by walking away from the mountains in a direction closest to Deling. I had to admit that the amount of walking almost made me faint. But we eventually stopped at night and slept. I slept so peacefully with a non-smoke fire beside me and the memories of Crescent Winds; I had nothing to fear.

Squall woke me up a little while after everyone else. He said I he wanted me to get more sleep while they packed up. I was grateful and decided to be an angel for the rest of the day and not complain at all.

I also knew I had to think of a name for my new companion. I wouldn't let her go on without a name. So I would think of one to best suit her.

The Bryne wasteland was at least three days away. That was lot of walking. I had my good moments though. Meryl was always eager to hear about our story to defeat Ultemecia. She always wondered why the villans get to die so much and the good guys get through it with not so much as a scratch. I wondered it myself. 

I spent the second night helping watching Meryl do her tapestry. She brang with her in hopes to finish it before she got home. I loved to watch her. She was so quick and the stitches always seemed to fall into place perfectly.

Things were going slow and I knew it. It would be a while before we actually got to the Bryne wasteland but I really tried to keep morale up I the group, although I knew that it was normally Selphie's job to do that. We always had particular jobs in the group back then. Even if we didn't know. It was my job to nag, Zell to complain, Quistis was to always stress at Squall, Irvine was to make himself look good in the group and give the guys 'tips', Selphie cheered everyone up with her bubbly atmosphere and Squall, well Squall had to keep up with us. 

I noticed that over the two years since Ultemecia's defeat our jobs had changed. Mine had changed to comforting people and killing monsters with low magic defense. Irvine stayed the same, so did Selphie. Zell was more quiet but more opinionated. Quistis was always keeping us standing on two legs and helping Squall as a leader. Squall was a big leader. He was more cheerful and spoke more. He was the way I imagined teenagers to be like. So young but so grown up.

I hadn't imagined things to turn out this way at all. But I cant change these type of things, sorceress or not. 

Authors P.O.V: 

Quistis had kept a close eye on Dean. She was worried that he was taking matters into his own hands too much. He was trying to find something out about these mutations. If they Council was behind it, then maybe there was some way she could use her authority to get further inside. But I they had kept this from all the Gardens, then what chance would she have? 

She was alone near the small Council car. Her team was going to join up with her soon. The uniform was making her itchy and she desperately hoped they would hurry up. How long was she supposed to wait here while they took tests on water? She had complained about the stupidity of taking the tests but decided against it after a very large argument.

She had found out from Dean that to be able to put the stone into the Collector, the person wielding the stone had to posses some sort of great power. Magical power. Preferably a sorceress. Quistis knew this posed as a problem, because Rinoa was the only sorceress and she was no where to be found. 

The stone needed to harness the person's power and use it to send out the negative wave to kill off the mutations. This meant if Rinoa used the stone her power would be taken from her temporarily, making her vulnerable. If Donas knew this, she would have some sort of a fail-safe plan.

Quistis needed enough information on Rinoa's whereabouts from Selphie and Irvine, which were looking at some files back at the Station. The Council told everyone that they were searching for Rinoa and Squall so they had to have 'some' information so far.

Her only hope lied in the amount of time they had. So far no one knew when this wave would be sent out upon the dragons. If the dragons turned onto the Gardens, no one would survive.

Quistis rubbed her forehead. She was getting a headache from too much thinking.

****

Please, let me live through this.

Her group came back. Their test tubes were full of water and the equipment was messily hanging from the cases. As they packed everything into the car, Quistis jumped into the passenger seat. 

" Where to now?"

The team leader, in the back seat answered with his gruff and obviously tired voice.

" Back tot he station. Where else. We're gonna grab some gear and head up to the Bryne Wasteland. We gotta stop at the Station first"

This new information was strange to her, but Quistis kept her mouth shut. She knew better than to ask too many questions.

Authors Note: Not as long as the other chapters, but I suppose its good enough. I'm starting to like the way it's going now!

Thankyou sooooo much to lionhearted. Thanks for your suggestion! I really appreciate all suggestions and opinions. So thankyou soooooooooooo much!


	12. They Made It!

Run Chapter 12 They made it! 

Rinoa P.O.V

We continued to walk to the Bryne Wasteland. Most of the time we tried to find a high point to see how far we had come. But for most of the trip, we could see the Hermes Ranges looming behind us in the distance. I guess I was mostly kept busy by the hard task of trying to pick a name for my new friend that now resided in my head. It felt strange with her, not like it did for any other GF. I guess she wasn't really a GF in most ways…but I suppose she may have lost her memory and she really was GF? Not that I thought it was even possible. I didn't know what to think.

We came to a large canyon, like a mine site. A giant crater.

" Is this…" Meryl whispered.

Lance nodded. "Yes. The Bryne Wasteland. It's actually a crater. It was formed during the first Lunar Cry"

I nodded and stared into the crater. No life. Just a vast sandy abyss of nothingness. 

" Are you saying there's supposed to be a green and lush valley here?" I asked.

Lance shrugged. " If my parents managed to get here and hide it away in time…"

I felt a little sorry for them and shut up. So we walked on down the crater and into the middle.

" This is kinda freaky" Meryl whispered, " I mean, there is nothing, absolutely nothing down here? How can that be possible?"

"I honestly don't know…" Lance answered. 

A hot breeze blew past and the dirt at my feet blew up into my face. I coughed and waved my hands around. I hated it here and was desperate to find The Springs.

"Where do you think it is Lance?"

Just as I had said it, I saw something down at my feet. Everyone noticed it too. A small green plant. It was growing bigger by the second.

"What the…?"

More plants began to pop up around us. Like an army of plants coming to invade the harsh dry crater. A palm tree sprung up next to me and grew up 3 times my size, sprouting leaves. More trees sprang up with it. Pines and large vine plants, flowers and ferns. 

It was amazing. An oasis was appearing before our eyes. 

I heard water and turned around to see a pebble stream of water flowing behind me in-between the many plants and grass types.

To my left was a giant waterfall flowing down from the sides of the crater into a pool below.

I could hear birds and other animals chirping from within the trees. Everything went calm and I could only hear the sounds of the forest.

" They made it Lance…they made it!" Meryl screamed.

She ran over to the edge of the pool and kicked off her boots yelling, " They made it!" and jumped in. Ignoring Lance who frantically yelled at her to stop.

When she resurfaced, Meryl yelled out to us, a broad smile on her face. " Hey guys! Come on in! Its great!"

I jumped in with her but the boys stayed on dry land and started a fire.

Meryl and I swam to the waterfall and walked behind it. The water made those strange watery patterns on the stone wall and I could hardly hear the boys on the other side.

" So", Meryl asked me, " What do you think we do now?"

I thought for a moment. **What can we do now? We cant stay here forever…I'll go crazy, but we can't just go back to garden or go live in Deling.  We're on the run now, no turning back right?**

"I'm not sure yet, but we cant stay here…I guess I just need time to think"

She nodded and looked at the waterfall. " You know, sometimes I used to write stories to the kids at Crescent Winds about what the outside world was like…and you know what? I was pretty accurate. I guess I never thought it would be as barren as it has been but…its different further out there isn't it?"

"Yeah, it sure is"

We stayed quiet for while. She was dwelling in her own thoughts and so was I.

However I managed the day, I'll never know. I swam for ages then helped set up a small mini camp. It was at night though, that the unbelievable chain of events began.

It was well into the night and a small fire was going in the middle of the clearing next to the pool. In the distance, I saw lights.

Headlights.

"Squall…" I whispered, " What's that?" 

He looked in the direction of the lights, as did the group.

" I think we have company, " He answered.

The car stopped a few meters away from the start of the forest, which they couldn't see. But the real shock came when I saw who got out of the car.

Quistis.

" Ok now what?" She said, " I don't recall there being any life here anyway so why are we here?"

The tall gruff one answered. " Because information at the Station told us they saw a group of people here. Might be the sorceress"

I frowned and looked at Squall " Should we?" I asked.

Seifer answered for me, " Definitely…"

The five of us walked out of our forest hide out into the open. Before the 'new arrivals' had a chance to register what was going on, Seifer, Squall and Lance had knocked them all unconscious, except for Quistis. 

She almost fell over in shock when she saw us but managed to regain her composer.

"Where…where did you come from!?" She managed to gasp.

I smiled and walked over to her. " Don't worry we'll tell you later"

We took her into the forest to our camp and told her about it. She explained her reason for wearing a Council Guard uniform and being with their group. She even told us about the 'dragon collecting'.

" Ok so basically, here's the deal," She said, " The collector is activated when the stone is inserted into it. Once activated it sends out toxic waves that will instantly mutate whichever monsters are in a 20-mile radius. But here's the thing, if the stone is inserted a second time, it sends out a negative wave, killing any of the mutations in a 20 mile radius"

 "So to stop it, all we have to do is get the stone?" I asked.

" No," She said, " There's a catch. Because its already been used a first time, most of the power in the stone has already been used, it needs someone with a high concentrate of power to insert it, to give it power again…a sorceress most likely"

I nodded. I suppose it wouldn't be that hard.

" A member of my group told me the collector is finished. All the gardens have been called to the sorceress memorial, where it is, and they should get there tomorrow. They're going to activate the collector the next day, so we have 2 days to get that stone and stop them"

We discussed our plan and agreed to take the Council car to the sorceress memorial. It would take us a day to get there.

Author's Note: hmm not a bad chapter I think. Please leave a review! Pretty please with broccoli on top? What not broccoli? Ok ok fine, how about chocolate or ice cream or cherries or…


	13. Damned if I do, Damned if I don't

Run Chapter 13 

Damned if I do, Damned if I Don't

 There's a bit of mild violence in this chapter. A bit of gore. So yea…you've been warned.

~Dream~

I was back. Back in my dream of the moss covered ground and the mist that threatened to choke me. Logan and Raylin were a while in front of me, still walking. I just guessed this was a continuation of my last dream and followed them. 

They walked side by side, hand in hand. A worried look plastered on Raylin's face, a scared look on Logan. I wondered if they even knew where they were going.

" Logan…stop. What was that?" Raylin whispered.

" What was what?"

'I saw something…over there" She pointed over to the left in front of her. Her hand shaking. She let go of his hand and turned around, looking in my direction. I turned also, my back to her to see what she was seeing.

But when I turned around I hear a shuffle behind me. That's when I heard Raylin scream.

"Logan…Logan! Where'd you go…"

Logan was gone and Raylin stood alone in the mist.

"Logan…"

A blood-curdling scream echoed into the night. 

Raylin grasped her hands up to her mouth. It was Logan.

The screams continued. I had a vision in my head of Logan getting torn apart, limb by limb. That was what it sounded like anyway.

"Logan!!!" Raylin screamed. I could see the tears streaming down her face.

She began to run forward. Screaming out his name. I ran after her and knew this was when he died. What we found, I don't think I'll ever be able to forget. The pure grossness of it, the way the blood seemed so bright in amongst the mist.

The same thing that had attacked me in the Hermes Ranges. It was holding onto Logan's limp body with one of its many tentacles. Holding him up. Blood trickled down from his body and onto the creature and the moss below. Logan had his head turned to Raylin, his face blood ridden sliced. He was choking and trying to say something but the 'thing' sliced yet another tentacle up into his body, silencing him. Blood poured form his mouth…and I knew he was gone.

It was then, when the thing turned around, I recognized it as a Grat. Not a normal Grat…a strangely larger and more ferocious looking Grat. A mutation?

It dropped Logan's body on the ground and screamed at us. A bone-chilling scream that rattled nerves.

Raylin didn't know what to do. She had just seen her husband torn apart in front of her. She screamed. Falling down on her back she tried desperately to crawl away. The Grat reared up and leapt towards her. The last thing I heard was her desperate screams.

-------------------------------

I woke up shaking. Beads of sweat ran down my face and my breathing was coarse. 

"What…what happened?" I whispered to myself.

Everyone else was asleep. I brang my knees up to my face and held onto them. Feeling scared and tired I drifted back to sleep.

~Dream~

I was back again. In the forever mist. I sighed and wondered where Raylin was, where the Grat was.

"It's okay. The flashback is over…" 

I turned around and saw Raylin. I breathed a sigh of relief and frowned.

" What was that flashback for?"

She smiled and looked down at the ground.

" The mutations…the one's created by the council, they've been around longer than you think. Manches is the creator. He designed the toxic waves"

Manches? Who the heck is he?

" Manches is the leader of the Council, you might think Donas is, but it's really Manches. The whole aim of the Council was actually to create these things and destroy the Gardens"

" But why?" I asked

" Because he thinks nothing can defeat them. He was a scientist. He used to work with Odine. He was ridiculed for his ideas and exiled. So he wants revenge…"

" So in that flashback…that was a mutated Grat?"

" Yes…it attacked Logan and I. It didn't kill me though. It self-destructed and I survived the blast. Barely. Manches found me and tried to kill me. I had found out about his creations. But I was of Crescent Winds birth, his mortal weapons couldn't kill me and so I ran…I managed to get into his dreams, to torment him, that's why I know so much about him. But over time he built up an immunity to me and I couldn't get in"

Manches…

" We know how to stop him. The stone he uses. If we re-use it a second time, by me using my sorceress abilities, we can send out a negative wave an-"

She shook her head.

"- no, its not that simple Rinoa. If you use the stone…if you use your powers to send out the wave, it will not only kill off the mutations…it will kill you…"

"Kill me? How?"

" The stone will try to use up your power…but because it requires so much, it will literally suck the life out of you…"

"I'll die…"

Author's Note: Aha! A really quick update! Please review!


	14. Silent Goodbye

Run Chapter 14 

Silent Goodbye

Um just a little note to Nauro would have used your name, but my friend really wanted me to use Lyra instead. So thanks anyway for your input. I'll use the name Nauro later on in the fic. Thanks again!

Squall P.O.V

One thing I noticed when I got up was the change in temperature. It had gone from being sweltering hot to freezing cold. Meryl was awake already, swimming in the pool and racing around under the waterfall. Rinoa was curled up next a tree, her knees drawn up firmly to her chest. She looked somewhat, distraught.

" Nightmares?"

 I wheeled around to see Seifer. 

"Maybe…" I whispered back.

Ignoring Seifer for the time being I walked over to Rinoa and woke her up.

" We're going to go soon"

She nodded and wiped her eyes drowsily.

After everyone was up, we got into the Council transport car. I sat in the back with Rinoa and Lance. Meryl sat in the back behind me. Seifer sat in the front with Quistis, who drove. 

Seifer and I helped with the navigations and Meryl and Lance drew up new maps to take back to Crescent Winds. Rinoa however, didn't seemed to do anything except stare out the window. She had distant look to her face and her features were pale. Maybe she was sick. I decided to find out what was bothering her, but I think I had guessed it before I asked anyway.

" Rinoa…you want to tell me what's up?"

She jolted out of her trance and looked my way.

"What do you mean?"

I sighed and tried to say it the right way. I could just say ' oh its just that you look kind of unhappy, because there is no reason not to be happy'. Which is just plain wrong.

" Well I noticed you've been acting strangely…is there anything you wanted to talk about?"

She shook her head. " No I'm just…" She paused. "Scared, you know, what if our plan doesn't work?"

"It will, don't worry"

She smiled faintly and looked back out the window.

It was dark before we stopped. We were only a few hours from the station, but we wanted to wait until day to go there. So we set up camp. Rinoa and Meryl slept in the car whilst Lance and I slept outside. Seifer was taking first watch. 

Rinoa P.O.V

Squall and Lance were fast asleep, as well as Meryl. I had pretended to be asleep.

I could see Seifer walking around in front of the car. When he turned around I took my chance and opened the car door. Quickly as I could I cast a sleep spell on the four unexpecting sleepers. 

Closing the car door, I walked to front of the car where Seifer was. 

" Hey Seifer…"

He looked worried when he saw me.

" Why aren't you asleep?"

" I was feeling restless, just thought a bit of fresh air would help…hey…what was that?"

" What?"

" Over there…in the bushes…"

I pointed over to a clump of bushes, rustling slightly in the breeze. He frowned and began walking over to them. I followed him and quickly cast a sleep spell on him.

"There's nothing over h…here…"

He fell to ground with soft thud.

I sighed with relief and walked back over to the car. Meryl had a dagger on her belt. I grabbed it and slid it into my boot. Turning to Squall I whispered to him, even though he couldn't here me.

" I'm sorry I have to do this but you have to understand. I'm the only one who can stop him…please forgive me…"

With one last look at the group; I headed off into the night. 

The night air was crisp and clean but I couldn't help the feeling of foreboding that came over me. Just the thought that I was completely alone sort of gave my mind the impression something really bad was going to happen…

But when I thought about it, I realized I wasn't alone. My new friend or GF was still with me. I had thought of name, but I decided to tell her when the time came.

That time just happened to come when I was walking along on an old worn path near Esthar. I had managed to walk along as discreetly as I possibly could, but fate had other ideas.  

Back on the Hermes Ranges when the mutated Grat had attacked me, I had heard a low hissing sound. When I heard the exact same sound then, I panicked.

"Not again…"

I grabbed the dagger out from my boot and hid behind a large boulder, sticking out from under the soft red sand. The Grat came into view. Big ugly and not very tiny anymore.

The memory of seeing Logan torn apart from this thing came to my mind, and I suddenly felt very sick. It smelt the air, and looked my way. It had found me, and wanted to get me out from my hiding space, dead or alive. It came crawling, slowly, over to me. It couldn't see me, but I could see it. When it was close enough for me to see the hairy bits of skin sagging off its tentacles, I leapt out.

It screeched at me threw itself my way. I blocked its path with the dagger and let it come stumbling into it. Purple and green blood oozed down my front and onto the ground. It stopped its pursuit and let me run away from it. When I was further away from it to only hear its screams as a faint howl, I let out my breath.

Safe…or not.

The howling stopped. That was a bad sign, because I had no idea of where it was. It used its initiative and attacked me from me behind. 

I dropped my dagger and came crashing to the ground. My leg was screaming with pain and I had a good mind to think it was broken. Something was poking out of my arm. I groaned when I saw a tentacle slither out of it. It had me pinned. I was a goner.

In a last desperate attempt I whispered out the chosen name for new companion.

"Lyra…"

I hadn't expected anything to actually happen. But she came. I heard a wolf howl and saw her on the highest point, above me. The white wolf jumped down from its spot and onto my attacker. When I felt the pressure lifted off me, I spun around to see Lyra in her human form standing over the Grat. It reared up and leapt forward at her. From out of nowhere, to blades appeared in her hands. She spun around and sliced into it. 

The tentacles wrapped around her and tried cutting into her, to no avail. She silenced it flipping over and puncturing it in the back. 

The Grat slowly fell down in a heap on the ground.

" Are you ok?" she asked. She took one look at me and shook her head. 

" I'll heal you, just sit still…"

I followed her instructions, and felt the pain ease. When the pain was no more, I was cleaned up ready to go again.

" Thankyou…thankyou so much…Lyra"

She smiled and helped me to my feet.

" I like the name. Very inventive…Lyra…"

Authors Note: ok a friend of mine read this and wondered how to pronounce 'Lyra'. So if you don't know, it's pronounced like this.

Lee-Ra. Ok? Cool, now pleeaaassee, pretty please leave a review and be the good lovely readers I know you all are! 


	15. Letting You go Again

Run Chapter 15 

Letting you go Again

Squall P.O.V

She was gone. I woke up in the morning with a dull headache and a note in my front pocket. 

A few things have come up and I can't stay here anymore. I have to go and do this myself. Don't try to stop me please, I'm long gone by now. But I'm fine, I'll be ok. I might not ever see you again.

_Rinoa._

**I might not ever see you again.** What did she mean? Where was she going, what did she need to do? She hadn't told me anything. Why couldn't I know…

The others woke up and I showed them the letter. They were about as confused as I was. 

"I don't get it…why would she go? She could have told us. She can trust us right?" Meryl asked.

I nodded. I wanted the answers as much she did.

" Seifer", I asked, " What time was it, do you think, when she came to talk to you?"

"It was about midnight, she told me something was in the bushes then just put me to sleep"

" Damn…"

We'd find her. But what would be the most obvious spot for her to go to? The Sorceress Memorial. Of course.

" She's gone to the sorceress memorial. She probably wants to stop the Council alone…or something…I don't know"

Quistis didn't seem so sure. " But Squall, why would she want to go off alone? Wouldn't she know she would be better off in a group? There has to be more to it…"

" I agree Quisty, but until we know more, we can't do anything about it except go after her"

And so we packed up and got into the car, on our way to the sorceress memorial. We kept a close eye on everything, just hoping she wasn't there already. She would have gone on foot so it gave us an advantage. 

Rinoa P.O.V

Lyra and I set off for the sorceress memorial. It was just west a little and we were almost there. Fortunately for us, we didn't run into any more of our Grat Friends. Lyra was able to scout ahead in her wolf form and look out for any danger, but we didn't run into anything else.

When Lyra was gone for a while, I was worried. She was a GF but I still worried about her. She was my friend.

"Lyra…are you there?"

No answer. I groaned and kept walking. She was probably just scouting further up ahead. We were getting so much closer to the sorceress memorial and it was getting windier. I was freezing.

"Lyra…" She was nowhere. I decided to keep going and just wait for her to turn up…she was good at that. 

The wind really picked up. A tripped on a shrub and stumbled over but I was caught by the wind and thrown back again. Recovering form my shock I got down on my hands and knees to prevent being thrown off the cliff that loomed next to me. I got close enough to the edge and looked over.

" Made it…"

The sorceress memorial towered in from me. The three gardens were stationary out the front and I could see the students walking around in the Quad of Balamb Garden from where I sat.

Forgetting my current position I stood up to get a better view. A violent gust of wind pushed me from behind and threw me forward. Screaming, I tried desperately to grab hold of the edge but grasped air and plunged over the edge. 

" Help!" I insisted on screaming out to no one even though I was alone. The scenery flew past in a flurry and I saw the sky appear as I tumbled through the air. But in this moment that I thought to be my last, something grabbed me by the feet. I jolted violently in the air, hanging upside down. My hair fell down over my face, blocking my view.

"Ugh…" I looked up and saw Lyra smiling at me.

She pulled me up and helped me get back behind a tall boulder away from the harsh wind.

" Are you ok Rinoa?"

I nodded, still dazed. 

" You know you really shouldn't have stood up in that wind"

" I know I know, stupid me. But I was just so happy to see the gardens again. You know?"

Lyra seemed confused.

" But I thought you were running from the gardens?"

I shook my head.

" No no, I'm running from the Council, they're the ones that decided I had to taken to Esthar"

Running from the Council…well at the moment I'm running from Squall as well…

" Oh ok…but why would they want to send you away? You wouldn't do any harm. You fought for the people and helped bring down Ultemicia"

" Yeah that's what I don't get either, but maybe its because they following on what past sorceress's have done. They think I'll follow the same path"

I sighed and my thoughts were brung back to the 'stone'.

" And now I'm going to die. A Galbadian army couldn't kill me, dangling off the side of a garden couldn't kill me, space couldn't kill me, time compression couldn't kill me, a crazy psycho sorceress from the future couldn't kill me and now…a stone is going to kill me…"

I was almost shouting by now, my blood boiling.

" I mean I don't even know what colour this stone is. It could be as tiny as marble and be bright pink! I wouldn't care anyway really would I? Why would I worry about something that's going to KILL ME?!"

I dropped my head and started crying. I wasn't crying for the fact I would die. But I was crying out of confusion. I wanted closure. I wanted to know why…

Lyra sighed and held onto me. 

" Rinoa, we'll think of something. We will…"

Author's Note: Wow…is it just me or am I going crazy on account of this fic? I am updating way too quickly! Oh please reward my hard efforts and leave a lovely review. Love you all!

  
    


	16. Meeting Manches

Run 

Chapter 16

Meeting Manches

A/N: This will be coming to an end soon I think about 3 chapters to go, so in your review please tell me if I should make a sequel. 

Author P.O.V (For a change)

" One…two…three…four…wait, isn't there supposed to be five?"

Selphie furiously re-counted her supply of explosives. **Zell…I told you to pack _five_…** She blew air out of her cheeks, frustrated, took the _four _explosives out of the box and into her bag full of tools.

" What's wrong Sephy?" Irvine came up to her, putting his arms around her.

" Zell was supposed to send me five explosives from the Garden but he only got me four. I don't know if it'll be enough"

Irvine grinned and showed her another small box that he had opened earlier.

" Will this please you my dear?" He showed her the contents of the box. Six explosives. She squealed happily and hugged him tightly like her favorite bunny toy.

"Oh thankyou Irvy!"

She grabbed three more explosives and shoved them into the bag. Once all packed the two of them put their supplies into the Council car and started it up.

They had exited the small base their group had set up just a kilometer from the sorceress memorial. It was their turn to watch the Gardens for any 'suspicious' activity. Little did the council know, that they were really on their way to set up the explosives around the sorceress memorial. Once they were in place…it was bye bye!

Selphie set up the explosives while Irvine drove. When they neared their destination, she put it all back into the bag and jumped out. Irvine came with her and they ran around to the front of memorial.

Removing a piece of tin plating, Irvine cut his way into the interior of the main side building.

"Ok Irvy, if we place one here it should blow up about 15 meters up that way and then send it all toppling toward us. So we put one around the corner…there so that can fall inwards. By placing about two inside near the Collector it should make the whole sorceress memorial fall inwards! Kaboom! But I think we should put some around the other side to be sure"

Irvine looked impressed.

"You sure know your explosives Sephy!"

Selphie beamed and happily began attaching the explosive inside the complicated wiring system. 

Rinoa P.O.V.

Lyra said she had to go and so I was left alone again, wandering down the mountainside over to the Sorceress memorial. No one was out of the Gardens and I couldn't see any one from the Council out on guard.

The Sorceress Memorial was huge. I remembered my last time here. When Squall had saved me. I had put myself in there. What a fool. 

 When I came close enough to get inside I saw a lot of guards at the entrance. I figured a quick sleep spell should take them out. I had no intent on killing anyone I crouched down and listened.

" Hey you seen those new kids? I thought they was meant to be helping out with the patrol"

" Nah, I think they gone inside"

The guards sounded like they had an accent and slanged their words a lot.

" We should go an help out aye?"

" I spose…"

Two of them were coming this way.

"Oh oh…" I whispered. I looked around desperately and tried to find a spot I could hide in. If I was going to do this sleep spell I needed to concentrate. They came closer so I stood up and slid up next to the side of the main side building. **Please don't see me.**

 .

They walked past me talking and laughing and it wasn't until I bumped into a guard behind me that they noticed me.

"Hey!"

I took my chance and ran. The three of them pounded after me like guard dogs. I ran up a flight off metal stairs along the side of the main building. There was a small opening at the side, so I slid in and waited.

  
" Where is she!"

"Find her!"

They ran away from the stairs.

I sighed and stood up. That was when two firm hands gripped my shoulders

" Your in big trouble missy…" The guard growled.

" Oh no…"

He called some guards over and two of them grabbed me and took me inside, down a small flight of stairs and into main chamber, where I was frozen 2 years ago.

" You three watch her...I'll get Manches"

I sighed and tried to think of a spell that could get me out of here.

Damn…nothing. I'm not strong enough yet. Any other sorceress could get out of here. But I'm just too weak.

I heard a sharp clicking sound, like steal capped boots. 

~click~ ~click~ ~click~ 

"Damnit…"

Then he came into view. He was two heads taller than me and I swear, the muscles on his arm could crush a 6-meter crocodile. He was wearing a Council uniform. His dark matted hair hung all over his face and I could tell the only thing he washed himself in was sweat.

" Manches…" I whispered.

"Yes…" He voice was deep and intimidating. 

" Sorceress Rinoa…the only one capable of ruining my plans, now in my hands…"

He laughed deeply and enjoyed seeing my disgusted face.

Walking around me in a circle, he inspected me.

"You're looking well"

"Well your not welcome to look" I spat.

He laughed again motioned behind me. " This is the Collector…my invention. Raylin has probably told you everything…"

"Yes she has"

"Good. Tell me, what do you know about me?"

"You worked in Esthar and created the toxic waves that could mutate monsters. You were ridiculed and sent away. Your creations killed Raylin's husband Logan. You found Raylin and tried to kill her but failed. She got into your dreams"

" Very good. Do you also know that my _partner _Nauro was working with me. He was killed by one of creations unfortunately. But this is what made me realize…they need to be controlled. And so I created the Collector. This way I could create my mutations and control them. You see without the stone I cant control them. So it doesn't matter if you destroy it, I can still make them"

" And if I kill you?"

" You wont get a chance my dear…put her in the side building storage. She wont get out"

The guards grabbed me again and took me out. Damn him…damn him!

A/N: Yay. Please leave a review an tell me what you think of this chapter!

Next chapter its Manches vs Squall!!!!!


	17. This is For Her

Run Chapter 17 

This is For her

Author P.O.V

Meryl ran up through up through the snow and into her house. Rayne had cooked a feast for her home coming and a fire was lit in the corner. She was about to dig in when her head smacked up against the window in the car.

"Ow!"

She rubbed her head and sat up.

Ugh I must have been dreaming again… 

Lance turned to face her and smirked. " Have a good sleep dear sister?" She poked out her tongue replying, " Oh yeah I did actually thanks for asking".

No soon had she finished speaking, she flew forward when Quistis slammed on the brakes, hitting the window. When Meryl had dislodged herself from the window, they all saw what Quistis had _almost _hit.

Lyra sighed and walked over to the side of the vehicle. Squall was the first to get out and greet her. " Hey are you alright?" She nodded and cut off Quistis who began yelling about standing in the middle of the road. 

" My name is Lyra. I've been traveling with Rinoa and-"

Squall quickly cut hr off. " Rinoa! Where is she? Is she ok?"

" Please let me finish. She's at the sorceress memorial and she's fine. I'm her GF. She's been captured by the leader of the Council and I found out their keeping her inside the left side building"

Everyone went silent. It was obvious this new information was not expected. But still Lyra continued. " There is one detail you should know about. You all know that Rinoa can use the Stone the stop the mutations?" They all nodded, not quite understanding the seriousness of Lyra's tone. " Well if she uses it…it will…well it will try to suck as much power from her and eventually suck the life out of her"

Squall's blood froze. **That's why she left. That's why she couldn't tell me…**

" But isn't there a way to stop her from _dying?_" Lyra sighed. "No I'm afraid there isn't"

Still Squall tried to reason with her. " But what if the SeeD's are strong enough to fight the creatures?"

"Squall it took five people just to _try _to kill one of those grats. You know how strong it was so just imagine a hundred or so mutated dragons headed toward The Gardens"

He sighed. She was right.

" No…it can't be. It just cant…"

" I'm sorry Squall, I wish we could help her too-"

"- No! I wont let her damnit! I wont let her!"

Rinoa's P.OV

Somehow the needles the guards gave me hadn't worked very well and I woke up inside the dark…place…they had put me in. My vision was still a bit funny but I noticed they hadn't tied me up. Probably hurried. Sunlight poked in through a small gap in the double doors. I crawled over to inspect it. The lock was down the bottom and the bolt was in the ground, stopping me from opening it. If only I could get something to lift it up…

I thought for a moment and then in an instant grabbed my boot and flung it off. The soles were pretty worn so I managed to get it off ok. I knew my dagger wouldn't fit through the gap so I had another idea. I tore apart the top of my boots and sliced around in the inside. As expected, I saw the tiny metal piece. The bit that clamps it together. I smiled evilly and pulled it out. It slid through the gap perfectly.

Sliding it under the bolt I managed to lift it slowly…up…up. **Just a little further…**

~Clang~ The bolt came out and I kicked the door open. 

"Rinoa 1 Manches 1…now we're even"

I crawled on my hands and knees to find a suitable victim. A chubby guard wandering around near my 'prison'. I cast a quick sleep spell and dragged him away. 

I emerged fully dressed in the uniform (over my clothes) and walked over to the sorceress memorial main, with my gun in hand. I gathered with a bunch of guards and walked with them inside. Donas and Manches were also inside. Donas was holding a small metal box.

" Finally" Donas growled. She turned to Manches. " Should I put the stone in now?" Manches nodded in reply and stepped aside to reveal a small hole in the wall. She slid the box inside. My luck turned up a notch when another guard burst in the room. 

" Sir! The sorceress…she's gone"

" What!?" Manches screeched. " How?!" The guard fumbled with his words for while. " I don't know sir. The door was closed and.."

" Find her!" Manches stormed out. Donas ran after him yelling out, " Stay here and if she comes…kill her" 

When silence took over I gingerly turned to the group. " Hey guys I've never been one to follow orders" They all jumped and stepped back. " Hey…you're the…" I smiled and ran around to a pillar next to me. As expected they all began firing at me. I flicked around and cast a Fira spell their way. They took cover and continued firing. I waited and counted in my head…1…2…3! On three I spun around and lifted them up. They hit the roof with a thud and fell back down. The guns clattered to the ground and I ran over to the stone.

" Yes…" My moment was ruined when I heard a click behind me. I slowly turned to see Donas with her pistol pointed at me. " My my, what a bad girl your being"  She walked past me and grabbed the box, opening it and taking out the stone. It was just a simple clear colour and only the size of my palm. " Manches has ordered that I begin…I suppose a little audience wont hurt. Now sit down" I did as she asked and sat down against the pillar. Donas opened a small hatch, punched in a few numbers and the whole wall slid apart. The Collector slid into place. Three tall pipes stood upright and headed out the ceiling. In the center was a small slot to place the stone. 

She was about to begin when we heard a series of gunshots outside. Donas leaned out the large window and looked down, with me by her shoulder. 

Squall? 

I was right. Squall, Meryl, Lance, Seifer and Quistis were down below fighting a group of guards. My heart sank when I saw Manches walking toward Squall. Donas looked triumphant while she watched Manches beat fight Squall. But I was smart. I grabbed the box from her while she was fixed outside and flung it to the ground. The stone fell out and clattered to the ground. 

We both made a dive for it but Donas reached before me.

" Too late sorceress!" She slammed the stone into the collector. It glowed and bolts of electricity sprang up the wiring and into the three pipes. I looked out the window. The desert sand picked up and winds blew toward the memorial. In the distance I could see the gathering of monsters headed this way.

Squall P.O.V

I pulled the trigger on my gunblade sending a guard flying off in the air. I smiled to myself and was about to go and help Meryl when someone grabbed me by the shoulders and flung me backward. 

" Squall Leonheart…an honor it is to fight you!"

I didn't know who this guy was but he didn't seem friendly, I grabbed my gunblade off the ground and got ready. He got out his sword, grinning ear to ear. He struck first but I managed to swing to the side and dodge the blow. I sent my blade upwards in an attempt to cut him off but he was too quick and blocked me. He bent down, swinging his free leg over to me, knocking me over.

 The wind blew fiercely knocking him over. I stood up and looked out at the desert. 

It's beginning! 

I didn't have time to shout because Manches grabbed me from behind, putting the hilt of his sword on my throat.

" It's an even greater honor…to kill you"

An idea struck me. The monsters were coming at us now, from behind. Only I knew they were. Manches had no idea. The others were standing on a fallen pillar, out of reach of the monsters, next to us. 

" Or so you thought" I whispered. I elbowed him in the gut and twisted around, freeing myself. I kicked him down and grabbed his sword. 

" This is for her…" I threw the sword down in his leg. Ignoring his howls of pain I jumped up onto the pillar. The crowd of monsters ran past in a flurry of dirt and dust. Somewhere in there a dragon grabbed the fallen Manches in-between its teeth, chomping him in half. 

A/N: Bye bye Manches! I've said this in all my fics so far but…I've updated  My Story(ff 10)  The way life mocks me  Damn the red Pill  please please check them out if you can.

Review and tell me what you think! Happy now that Manches is gone? 


	18. Our Story

Run Chapter 18  
  
I'll probably get flamed for this chapter but what the heck!  
  
Our Story  
  
Rinoa P.O.V  
  
Donas leaned back and laughed. " It's too bad sorceress. It seems I beat you. In a few moments the first waves will be sent out and your friends will have no chance"  
  
I looked out the window. Everyone was standing on a fallen pillar, surrounded by the hoard of monsters running toward us. Donas was right, the stone made a buzzing sound and lit up.  
  
" This cant be.I had it all planned out.it was so perfect."  
  
Donas laughed again. " Sorry to ruin your plans sorceress!" The three pipes shook and energy gathered around them.  
  
" This cant be."  
  
Author P.O.V  
  
The small group of cadets sitting in the quad were busily talking about the recent SeeD exam. Their small talk however was interrupted by a beam of light, coming from the sorceress memorial, spread across the sky. They shielded their eyes and whispered among each other. " Must be a welcome thing for the meeting."  
  
Every monster gathered at the memorial copped a blast from the wave. It's energy swept throughout the desert, knocking everyone on the pillar down holding onto the ground with dear life. Bones expanded and skin bubbled. The eyes of the monsters grew wide and puffed out to suit its bulging body. The once harmless claws on a bite bug became lethal pincers filled with poison. A small group of dragons took flight, their destination, the gardens.  
  
None of the monsters paid any attention to the group of people on the fallen pillar. Their minds were set at destroying the gardens and everything in it.  
  
When the light became less bright the cadets pulled their hands down, looking down at the desert.  
  
" What.what the hell are those things?!"  
  
" Inside quick!!"  
  
" Block the entrance!!!"  
  
The first group made it to the entrance of Galbadia Garden. The students and cadets didn't bother fighting them; they ran inside and further blocked it off. Still the creatures pursued.  
  
Rinoa looked in with grief at the gardens becoming overwhelmed with the newly mutated monsters.  
  
" Perfect aren't they?" Rinoa was sick of hearing Donas speak. She reached down into her boot. " Oh yeah.they sure are. But there is something they're missing."  
  
Donas laughed at her comment. " Oh and what's that?"  
  
Rinoa slid the dagger out from her boot. " A fail safe!" In a flash she arced the dagger up and punctured it into Donas's chest. She gasped, clutching her chest.and falling down dead. Rinoa sighed and grabbed the stone.  
  
"Here goes."  
  
" No wait!!"  
  
Squall P.O.V  
  
Rinoa held the stone in her hand, inches from the collector.  
  
" No wait!!" She spun around.  
  
" Rinoa.please you cant"  
  
" Squall.I'm sorry I have to.if I don't who's going to stop those things?"  
  
I looked down trying to think of anything.just anything. But nothing came. As much as tried I knew the truth. She was going to die no matter what I did. No matter what I said. Sure I didn't accept it but it was inevitable. I guess my mind believed it but my heart didn't.  
  
" I'm really going to lose aren't I? There's no other way.it's not right. Its not right Rinoa, why should this happen to you? To us?" I hadn't cried for a long time, but I did. I could just feel the tears prick my eyes.  
  
" Squall we've both been through a lot in these past weeks.but I've had some of the best times. Being with you through this.its been amazing. Experiences I'll never forget, you see there are three stories going here. Your story, my story and our story. Sure our story hasn't been all that good toward the end and mine is ending.but you, you can continue. Your story doesn't have to stop. Keep going for me ok? Continue it" I nodded. She was right. We had been through hell but I wouldn't trade it in for anything else. " I'll keep going Rin.I'll continue I.I promise" I let the tears fall freely now. She smiled and walked up to me. We held onto each other and the tears felt comforting now. But we had to hurry, the monsters were already getting into the gardens.  
  
" Goodbye Squall. This isn't the end"  
  
She turned around and stood at the collector. Slowly she placed the stone into the slot holding on tightly. It glowed and began to harness its energy. Rinoa gasped and held on tighter. She closed her eyes tightly. Her strength failed her and she fell to her knees. When the stone had enough power it propelled its energy up into the pipes.  
  
Continue.  
  
Rinoa's hand shook and she slowly let go of the stone.  
  
" Squall." She fell down looking up to the ceiling. " It's fading now. I don't know if I'm hear but can you still see me?"  
  
I heard her say something and kneeled down by her side.  
  
You can't hear me now can you Squall? I'm too lost to say anything. Will I ever come back? Can I still be with you?  
  
"Rinoa I'm hear. I'm right here for you. I promise I'll continue I promise.I."  
  
I know you will.  
  
" Don't go."  
  
I'm already gone. I'm so sorry. I can come back for you.but will you wait that long?  
  
" How can I lose you.not now.please not now."  
  
Through her closed eyes, a singular tear fell from the side of her eyes. Down her cheek, spilling onto the harsh cold floor.  
  
Will you wait that long?  
  
Quistis told me this place was going to blow so I picked her cold body up and started for the exit.  
  
Author P.O.V  
  
Lyra quickly took out her twin blades and ran over to a group of students fighting a group of mutated bite bugs. She yelled out to them to get out of the way and jump up in the air. Her blades connected with the first unlucky bug. With her blades sliced into it she flicked her body over in a back flip and tore it in half. She landed with a thud as the two pieces fell to the ground either side of her.  
  
The rest of the bugs launched themselves at her. They were bigger than normal, so when they flew at her, she ducked down and jabbed a blade up into the belly of one. It flew upwards taking her with it. Using her other blade she flipped herself up onto the airborne bug and placed both blades under it neck.  
  
" To slow"  
  
She jumped forward bringing her linked blades down and chopping the head off. She finished the rest off with a Firaga spell.  
  
She looked over at the fallen pillar. The others were still standing on it. Throwing out as many spells as they could to fend off the monsters. She closed her eyes and transformed into her wolf form. Pounding up to where the others were, she saw it before they did. One of the ruby dragons drew its attention from the gardens and propelled itself towards them.  
  
Lyra growled to herself. They'll never make it.  
  
Quistis saw the approaching dragon and yelled out to the others. Lance succeeded in casting a blind spell, causing it to miss them as it swooped down low. It shook off the blind spell and landed flew back to them, firing a series of fire blasts. Quistis jumped off in time, but the others caught the blow full on. The were all knocked out. Cursing to herself she knew her only option.  
  
" Lyra! I know your Rinoa's GF but.HELP!"  
  
Lyra was already there. She howled out the group. An invisible shield made its way around the group.  
  
The ruby dragon flew up into the air and landed directly in front her. It swept its claws her way but just as Quistis tried to duck it, the claw hit Lyra's shield. The dragon screeched in fury and placed both claws on the invisible shield. Lyra jumped up from the pillar and in mid air, turned back to her human form. Her twin blades appeared in her hands as she slammed into its chest, holding on to the blades that now hung from its skin.  
  
Quistis fired up a firaga spell and threw it at the dragon. Its head flung backwards as the blow hit and fell down on its back. Lyra's intentions were to finish it off so she closed her thoughts and drew her blades close.  
  
The sky darkened and tiny flames appeared around her and the dragon. Blue flames, tipped with black.  
  
The flames grew bigger circling them. Lyra stood up and held her two blades together. They melded together to form one blade. When the dragon went to make a leap she darted around the back and jumped up, stabbing it in the back. She used her blade to hoist herself up onto the dragon. She had been given a special dagger. One that can turn any foe into a human form. She pulled it out and lunged it at the dragon's eye. The dragon howled in pain and threw her off. Lyra hit the shield and fell down, leaving behind a blood trial on the shield. The Dragon slowly shriveled and turned into a human, a man. The man slowly walked over to the fallen Lyra.  
  
He clutched her with both hands holding her up. Slowly she opened her eyes. The dragon had managed to puncture her in the back. GF or not she could still die. The man growled at her as he held her high.  
  
I'm not giving up that easy!  
  
In a flash Lyra pulled out her twin blades and thrust them into his gut. But he was strong. He threw her down and pulled them out. He threw one at her gut and used one to slice it across her throat. She gasped and grabbed her neck. Still he perceived. With one last move he picked limp form up, facing her away from him, holding one arm under her neck and the other around her head. He twisted in one fluid movement, satisfied when he heard the familiar crack.  
  
Her body felled with a thump on the desert ground. He turned back to his dragon form and weakly flew off.  
  
Quistis ran over to her. Everyone else had been healed and ran over also.  
  
" Lyra! Lyra come on you can't die!"  
  
Still she never moved.  
  
They tried cure after cure but still to no avail. " No." She picked her body up into her arms. " Thankyou Lyra, you saved us"  
  
Meryl looked behind her at the sorceress memorial. " Hey guys.something's up."  
  
Quistis drew her attention away from Lyra and looked to where Meryl was pointing.  
  
As the pipes that towered out of the memorial shook with power, the energy it had gathered threw itself out onto the desert. The waves hit the monsters with full impact. The monsters on the ground exploded in a flurry of sparkling glitter-like dust. Air borne creatures shattered into dust and the sparkling pieces fell neatly to the ground. With the sky alive with colour, it seemed the stars had come out to dance around in air. The sparkling remnants evaporated before hitting the ground. The cadets, students, SeeDs and even the small group sitting on the fallen pillar watched in awe as the hoard pf monsters diminished.  
  
But it was in that moment that they realized.  
  
" Rinoa."  
  
A/N : Ok yes, I killed her off. But hey it's not all that bad. Please Review! 


	19. Life over Death

Run 

Chapter 19

Life over Death

He moved over to her and picked up her cold, unmoving body. Her eyes were closed her lips were silent. Ignoring the tears that continuously slipped out onto the floor, he picked her up.. 

"I've had some of the best times" 

He knew the explosives were going to off soon, but he didn't know exactly when. He just had no intention of being there when they did go off. Slowly he cradled her body in his arms and made his way to exit of the chamber.

_" Squall, it's fading now. I don't know if I'm here…but can you still see me?"_

The lights in the building fuzzed out one by one, so he carefully navigated his way through the darkness.

"I can come back for you but will you wait that long?" 

The first of the explosives went off. For a moment he lost his footing, but corrected himself, fully aware of the precious weight in his hands. The explosive gave him a good advantage though. From the glow of the fire he could make his way outside into the desert, where he broke into a run.

"Will you wait that long?" 

Ahead he could see the ragnarok. The engines thrummed and the familiar sound echoed throughout his ears. The ship hovered above the ground slightly. He ran up the ramp, inside, just as the full impact of the last explosives hit them. The ship, it seemed, was thrown back suddenly. The passengers all jolted to the side grabbing onto whatever they could get their hands around in order to steady. The ragnarok was expertly flown in an upward motion, away from the sucking flames that erupted from the former sorceress memorial.

The gardens had long since departed from the area and were now stationed at a bay near Esthar. The ship headed for the same destination.

Everyone in the hanger let out a sigh and began laughing quietly at they're lucky escape from the explosion. But they were silenced when they saw Squall sitting in corner with Rinoa in his arms, sobbing quietly to himself. Her body was so numb, anyone would know she was dead. Quistis slowly moved over to him. He looked up at her momentarily. 

" Squall…" Like the sister she always remembered herself being, she leaned down next to him, with an arm on his back, for the trip to Esthar. 

Squall P.O.V

We buried her in at the flower field, next to Raine's grave. So many people came, so many. Every SeeD form every garden, including Trabia. Even most of the people from Crescent Winds. They all came to pay they're respects and say their final goodbye. I didn't want to be there. I know it sounds selfish, but I had no desire to turn up just know she really was gone. I already knew that. I just waited under the tree we had both met under every Month at the flower field. I waited until sunset, when I could go see her myself, with my friends by side.

I kept a lot of memories with me. Just like she had said, we had a lot of good times near the end. I knew she was right but somehow I just wished to change the course of how it ended. How would I survive without her? She made me what I am today; will I just shrivel up and become the Squall Leonheart that I was 2 years ago?

I remembered our time in Crescent Winds as the most…surviving…thought. The way it had all seemed so perfect on that last day there. The way the snowflakes fell down onto her hair, to make the effect that much better. We sealed our love that day. We married in the way of their people and our own. Exchanging rings. I still wear mine, and so does she. Rings made from ice to give comfort in times of peril. Rayne married us and made the dress for Rinoa. A simple white dress made from silk. But they way she looked when she wore it…I think the image will be stuck in my mind and heart for the rest of my days. 

I'd end up telling everyone about us being married…eventually. But for now, it's our secret.

Lance and Quistis…they're so well suited. One was gentle and kind yet so forcive and the other was secretive yet so adventuress. When one gave up the other was willing to continue on, and thus came the beginning of their relationship. Lance wanted to travel the world with her by his side and she so eagerly came along. They were perfect together. 

I wanted to keep dreaming to myself of a world with her by my side. I wanted it to go back to the way we all were. Just a bunch of teens in garden fighting for each other and our dreams…but that's utopia for us. Nothing of the sort ever happens to us anymore. It's one more miserable day after the next. I guess that's how it'll always be now.

But then there was one other thing…Lyra. She died apparently…but we couldn't find her body. The only thing left of her was her twin blades. Lying on the ground in her place. Whatever happened is a mystery to all of us. I suppose she really was a GF after all. Rinoa's GF. 

Maybe I will get on ok. With my friends by my side. But who knows? I feel as empty as ever and now…she's gone. Behind me I heard Quistis walking up. And so I guessed they were all with her…my guess was right when I heard another series of footsteps.

" We knew you'd be here" They were all adorned in their SeeD uniforms. With the exception of Meryl, Lance and Rayne. I was worried. I didn't want their pity.

" Squall are you going to be ok?" I recognized Meryl's voice straight away. I didn't reply. I wasn't sure if my voice was working yet. So instead I looked up to the sky, through the pink petals of the trees branches. Not a cloud in the sky.

Someone behind me sighed and turned around, walking back. Eventually they all left. Except Meryl. She sat down next to me.

" You know…everyone is calling her a hero, a savior. And she is, she saved us all you know? She knew what she was doing and I'm sure if she had the chance she wouldn't have taken another option…" She rested her hand on mine and squeezed it slightly. 

" We all know how strong you are Squall. We try not to pity you but…we just want to mourn for you I guess. Because we all miss her…we all want her back. Hey, lets start thinking about her 'life'…not her death" With that said, she also got up and began to walk back to the others.

_Lets start thinking about her life…no her death._

So I did.

At sunset I walked to her grave alone. The array of flowers and gifts surrounding the grave was amazing but I took no notice. I sat down next to the flat headstone, similar to Raine's. 

**~Rinoa Leonheart~**

**Died in honor of protecting our world**

Rinoa _Leonheart. _Rayne must have told them to put that. So they must know already. I placed my hand over the inscriptions. Tracing the delicate patterns and wording in the marble surface. My eyes were averted to a small white glowing abject down the side of the headstone.

 A feather…

A/N; FIN! Well sorry about not bringing her back but…it just wouldn't suit it you know? I'm not much of a happy ending person but I do make exceptions…trust me! ooooh yeah and you can expect the sequel to be out in about…a week. I've written the first chapter! The sequel will be called ** Whispering Solitude**  My friend and I , Bridget, might be writing this together.

Special Thanks to:

The Angel of the Lion, J.Johnson/Selphie Clone, Mariko, devildragon, Yunalesca78, Renegade Seraph, inoaheartily, Dark Goddess of Good, tiger, Lady Aliena, anime-diva and winnowil.

And very special thanks to: **Nuaro**, for supporting me and helping me out a lot! 


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